Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“One’s a wish, two’s a kiss.”

One of my favourite ladies is back with the final book *sob* in the Cranley Wishes Trilogy! With each new Audrey Davis book comes a story even more brilliant than the one before it (even though I love them all!) and A Wish For Wilma certainly doesn’t disappoint. If you love rom coms and are curious about how they’re written with a hilarious supernatural twist, Audrey is the author for you, and I’m confident you’ll love these books. I’m thrilled to be sharing my review!

About the book

Getting old may not be a bundle of laughs, but Wilma Cooper isn’t ready to hang up her slippers yet. Not when she has the arrival of her first great-grandchild to look forward to.

When blast from the past Gus Brown appears on her doorstep, Wilma’s over the moon to rekindle their friendship.

But life takes an unexpected turn when she finds herself playing host to a rather peculiar house guest. There’s a baby boom in town, but not all babies are created equal.

As Wilma grows closer to Gus, happiness seems on the cards. Until an unexpected caller threatens to throw a spanner in the works.

With a wish up her sleeve and madness in the air, will Wilma find a second chance at love?

The beginning

Oh Wilma, I have been DYING to read your story for so long! After reading all about Jinnie and Jo‘s shenanigans in the first two books of the Cranley Wishes trilogy, I knew Wilma’s would be slightly more wild, and after reading the first few paragraphs, I was stupidly excited for what she’d get up to… even though I didn’t have a clue at this point what that would be! Audrey seamlessly continues the series in a way that builds excitement and curiosity, opening up Wilma’s life for us all to enjoy and allowing us to become acquainted with her personality, her way of life, and of course, her views on anything and everything… What was clear straight away was just how hilarious and witty she was. What a woman! Wilma was truly one of a kind, and even at 87 years young, I knew her adventures would be some of my favourites of the series. Of course, I also couldn’t wait to be reunited with those other characters I loved. I’m sure they’d all appear at some point, and the very thought of it brought those warm fuzzy feelings back!

I loved how we get stuck straight into the storyline. Wilma’s old friend from 30-odd years ago, Gus, arrives (to her surprise) to fix a leak and put up a few shelves, and we’re instantly given a glimpse into the past. I loved hearing old stories of Wilma and her late husband, Eric, and it reminded me of how I always seem to hear an old story from my own grandparents when I go to visit them. There’s nothing quite like it! What really surprised Wilma was how she noticed how attractive her old mate Gus was. She was even starting to flirt. Wilma! Flirting with a younger man in his 70’s? Good grief. More on that later… I loved that even though it was Wilma’s turn in the limelight, there were also chapters focusing on other characters’ points of view. Jinnie and Sam are back (it always feels like coming home where this perfect pair are mentioned!) and I knew they’d play a big role in Wilma’s book. With a baby on the way, it sounded as though they’d have their hands full soon enough, but no one could prepare them for what was about to happen…

“But think about it Sam. Babies can’t talk.”

“And genies don’t exist, yet here we are. I don’t think regular rules apply, do you?“

I’ve absolutely adored all of Audrey’s books, but with the Cranley Wishes trilogy, I’ve often found myself wondering how on earth anyone could come up with such an original idea, (genies, magic, and wishes, of all things!) keeping it so lighthearted, hilarious and uplifting in equal measure. With that in mind, I already knew a genie would pop up from the abyss. I knew that Wilma would (probably) be granted some wishes. But even though this was a given, the excitement still raged through me, and I think this balance is such a difficult thing to perfect. As always, Audrey never lets me down, and it didn’t take long for my smile to be cemented on my face and for that giggle to rise up in the most unexpected of moments. Wilma’s personality was such a memorable one; she’s curious and spontaneous, and she doesn’t say no when she finds a padlocked cupboard that, when opened, needed a good tidy and a dust…

Little did Wilma know, I was sat on my sofa practically screaming at her to turn back, but also kind of egging her on when she takes a closer look at the contents of that cupboard. I knew exactly what was to come, so all I’ll say is let the fun (chaos) commence! I had an idea about what I was expecting to happen, but Audrey did what she does best as an author and completely threw me off course. Sam learns something that could only mean trouble for the rest of our characters, but my god I loved the possibilities. The author takes us so far from reality here that I became completely absorbed in its randomness and charm, and the magic we experience here felt so original and exciting. Even though the unravelling plot is far-fetched and so unrealistic, it works so bloody well. Who says anything has to make sense in fiction?! I love Audrey’s mind, her ideas never fail to impress and intrigue. I couldn’t wait for what trouble our genie friends conjure up this time!

The middle

Without me giving the whole plot away, our favourite genies from books one and two have (somehow) created new life in the form of Dhassim Junior (or DJ for short) and my god, what a character he is! Just like his genie parents, he has such a cheeky, hilarious side. I was super happy another genie had found his way into Cranley. And I was even more happy that it was up to Wilma to deal with him. I was surprised by just how quickly Wilma took to this very fast-developing, abnormal genie baby; changing its stinky jewel-encrusted nappy and banging trays of chips in the oven for him (I’m laughing again just writing this down, it didn’t half set me off giggling the first time I read it!) It’s clear Audrey had a ton of fun writing this, and as the story moves on, Wilma and DJ start to develop a very unique relationship. But with Jinnie about to give birth herself, how would two (very different) children change their lives?

The balance between the genie issue and Wilma’s personal life was written perfectly, the alternating chapters keeping things fresh and exciting. The book certainly has the feel-good factor when it comes to Wilma and Gus. It just goes to show that if you’re old and widowed, it doesn’t mean you can’t live life to the fullest and enjoy every moment! It really was so heartwarming, so uplifting. Even though they were just friends, of course, nothing more… The chemistry between the pair was just so consistently cute, and I loved how Wilma was unsure how she should be feeling in the presence of Gus, which I assumed brought back those nostalgic feelings of a first crush, or even how she felt around her late husband. I just hoped she wouldn’t feel guilty for moving on with her life after the unfortunate loss of Eric. I found so many parts of Wilma and so many different scenes so adorable. More please!

“Making someone laugh is the greatest gift of all, in my humble opinion. And boy, do you make me laugh, Wilma.”

There’s drama, there’s self-doubt, but there’s also so much happiness and friendship and love as we dig deeper into the story. I was well and truly hooked. Wilma starts to mull over the one thing that’s on everyone’s minds at this point – what on earth is she going to wish for? DJ can only grant her one wish, so it better be a bloody good ‘en. It was interesting to think about what a woman like Wilma would wish for, someone that’s lived a long, eventful and happy life. Would she choose to go back in time and spend time with those no longer with her, reliving the happy memories? Would she choose to live the rest of her years with Gus by her side? Or would it be something totally unpredictable, something none of us expect? Wilma certainly surprised me already by this point, so I’d probably go for the latter if I had to guess! The more I read, the more I loved these characters, probably the most that I have in the series. Whether that’s because they all felt like old friends from the previous books, who knows!

Gus has some issues of his own to iron out and my god did I feel for him. Even secondary characters like Gus have been created and developed with such passion, such love and care. It’s impossible not to love this man! But while he has his own problems to fix, we get to a part of the book I’d really been looking forward to, which was Wilma’s first wish, or ‘bonus wish’ according to DJ. Wilma’s deep-rooted desires had been identified and, seeing as she was a huge fan of Lady Di, she travelled back in time to that memorable royal wedding. No matter how much of a shock this was for Wilma, I thought it was an excellent addition to the book and it paved the way for more fun, laughter (on my part, at least) and memories to cherish for Wilma. I just wished the chapter lasted longer! But the real question at this point was what Wilma would choose for her one and only personal wish. After thinking about it for a while, I couldn’t guess, so it was nice to have that surprise to come later on in the book!

The end

With jealous ex-wives, demi-Djinns and blossoming relationships, the book continued to wow me in every way possible. The entertainment factor is certainly consistent from beginning to end, but the story and relationship building was just off-the-scale good. I was so invested in the characters, so eager to find out the hows and the whys of genie antics and so hopeful that Wilma would get her happily ever after at 87, even though there were a few unfortunate complications… A book like this wouldn’t be the same without a bit of drama now, would it?! We join Wilma as she makes an important decision, but is this decision the right one? Is she following her head or her heart? The author has written Wilma’s thoughts and feelings in a way that makes us feel so involved, like we’re a part of her or even a close friend, and I love feeling this way about a character. I was constantly thinking about her and her story, even when the book wasn’t in my hands!

Christmas soon rolls around (if you didn’t know already, I love any mention of Christmas in a book!) and we’re blessed with a new addition to this wonderful family we’ve grown to love over the series; Jinnie and Sam’s new daughter, Dahlia, a name that was perfectly suited for the life they’ve lived and the experiences they’ve had. This new arrival was the perfect distraction from Wilma’s fading love life, but even so, she can’t help but mull over some what ifs. It turns out that Gus’s ex wife, Shirley, is a bit of a b*tch and determined to win him back. We see Shirley’s true colours and if I’m quite honest, I despised her. What an awful woman! The author has developed this character so well – a character you just love to hate. Come on, Wilma, we’re rooting for you! With the ending of the book in sight, I began to think about where things could end, but I didn’t have a clue. How could Wilma feel content with life, as well as make sure her genie friends return to their lamps without a fuss?

“Keep safe and keep being you. Marvellous, bonkers, age-defying you.”

Just as I was beginning to lose hope, we get the loveliest romantic little scene I’d been craving all along, as well as a deep and meaningful conversation between Wilma and Gus to right some wrongs and to make both parties as happy as pigs in muck. My heart soared for the both of them and even though this book is a work of fiction, it brought a little bit of sunshine to quite a meh day for me. Audrey always manages to lift my spirits with her books in one way or another! At this part of the book, I felt a little curious about two characters for different reasons. DJ has a wild idea to share that would potentially satisfy both Wilma and the genies’ needs, and Sam seems to be sneaking around and acting strangely (would Jinnie soon be getting her own non-genie related wish?!) I couldn’t wait for everything to come together and for those loose ends to be tied, but I really wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the Cranley lot!

The ending to the book (and of course, the trilogy) couldn’t have been more perfect in my eyes. It even made my eyes water! The end to a trilogy like this has to be a positive one, and it was filled with so much love, hope and excitement for what was to come in the future for these characters. Even when I closed the book, I spent a good while thinking about how their lives would change after what they’d experienced. New babies, relationships and marriages were sure to shake things up a bit in Cranley, in the best way possible! Wilma’s selflessness and love for everyone around her, including Dhassim, Aaliyah and DJ, would stay with me for a long time. I think we can all learn an awful lot from her! The book is so thought-provoking and makes you focus on what’s important in life, what matters most and where you should place your time and energy. I loved every word of it – the perfect ending to a perfect trilogy!

Overall thoughts

A Wish For Wilma is the most satisfying end to a flawless, hilarious, feel-good trilogy. It’s the kind of book that you never want to end, but at the same time makes you crave the conclusion to see how your favourite characters will continue their lives! The book is filled to the brim with uplifting moments of joy, ridiculously clever humour and characters who will stick in your heart long after reading the last page. Wilma is just an adorable ray of sunshine with a rebellious, cheeky side which I absolutely loved, and her romance with Gus is certainly something you don’t see often (new authors, take note!) A beautiful, heartwarming and unforgettable final book. I’ll miss these characters dearly!

A huge thank you to the lovely Audrey Davis for another perfect book! You can purchase your own copy of A Wish For Wilma over on Amazon, available on Kindle and in paperback. Make sure you’re following the author on Twitter and Instagram for more updates!

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