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By the Bay #7

Decidedly with Wishes

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Bucket List Rule #1: Be careful who finds your list.
 
Oops.

 
 
As the future CEO of my grandmother’s fashion empire, I’m not supposed to want to design a line of fancy dresses for girls with disabilities. But when I pull out all the stops and present my vision to my grandmother, she agrees to let me try on one very questionable condition.
 
The condition?
 
I have to complete every item on the bucket list I wrote in college.
 
Challenge accepted.
 
Only this is the same bucket list that includes going on a date with a hot hockey player, riding a horse, kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower…oh, and finding a husband.
 
The first one is where NHL player Elias Lawson comes in.
 
***
When my match-making mother sets me up with a date for my cousin’s wedding, I tell her the only thing I can…that I’m bringing my girlfriend.
 
Except, I don’t have one.
 
And I certainly don’t have someone who will spend a week with me in Copper Creek, Montana for the wedding festivities.
 
When workaholic Nala Johnson wins a date with me at a charity auction, I think I’ve found the perfect solution to my problem. Even better when she tells me about her bucket list. Because I’m just the man to help her with it.
 
I mean, how difficult can it be to find her a husband?

Decidedly with Wishes is a standalone romance. All the books in the series can be read in any order.

ebook

Published June 29, 2021

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About the author

Stina Lindenblatt

44 books813 followers
Born in Brighton England, USA Today bestselling author Stina Lindenblatt has lived in a number of countries, including England, the US, Finland, and Canada. This would explain her mixed up accent. She has a kinesiology degree and a MSc in sports biological sciences. In addition to writing fiction, she loves photography, and currently lives in Calgary, Canada, with her husband and three kids.

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5 stars
72 (43%)
4 stars
81 (48%)
3 stars
11 (6%)
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2 (1%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
Profile Image for Carmen Rae.
1,536 reviews180 followers
July 21, 2021
These books are just really great reads when you need something light and entertaining. They have a great story that keeps you wrapped wanting to know what is going to happen next. And the characters are all likable. Every time I've read one of these books I've basically read it as a standalone because my goldfish brain can't hold too many details for the wait between books.

The fake girlfriend trope is one of my favourites, so I went into this with a lot of excitement. Add in a sexy and sweet hockey player and I was one happy little reader. And for the most part I loved Nala and Eli. They were both great people who both cared about everyone around them. But they each had moments where I was annoyed with them individually.

Eli was so oblivious to his own feelings and acted like a coward. Nala was such a people pleaser she needed to stop going along with the plan and speak up. Which she did but it felt like she left it way too late. I wanted her to put her feelings before her career goals and fight and I got frustrated waiting for her to do it.

Luckily, those moments were fleeting because I was so invested in them as a couple. The whole book was really easy to read, and I enjoyed the chemistry between them as well as watching the story unfold. And the ending was just the sweetness that I was chasing.
Profile Image for Amy [Book Addict Reviews].
2,299 reviews163 followers
June 25, 2021
Nala is a workaholic, but she loves her job as a fashion designer. Her friends and grandmother want to see her work a little less and enjoy her life some more. When a bucket list Nala wrote years prior resurfaces and her grandmother wants her to complete everything on that list before she can work on her passion project of making dresses for girls with disabilities. Eli is a hockey player and heading back to his hometown for his cousins wedding. Instead of going alone or being set up with some women his mom finds, he blurts out that he has a girlfriend….but he doesn’t and now he needs a fake date ASAP.

I loved the chemistry between Nala and Eli from the start. There was just a natural connection and flow between them. There was just something fun about their relationship and I loved seeing them go through Nala’s bucket list. There is the perfect mix of sweet, funny, and hot scene between them.

This story was super fun to read and hooked me from the beginning. I loved Nala and Eli, plus all the secondary characters. Especially, Sarina and Abby with their adorable princess dresses. Those two little girls really brought a special light to the story.

If you’re looking for a fake dating romance this is one to read!
Profile Image for Brenda Brown.
Author 21 books500 followers
May 28, 2021
This is my favorite of the BTB series - and not only for the fake relationship trope, which is a favorite of mine. Nala and Eli are terrific both separately and together. They felt like genuine characters I'd want to hang out with (and maybe ogle. :) ) I loved the tie-in with Copper Creek, too!
Profile Image for Stina Lindenblatt.
Author 44 books813 followers
Read
May 31, 2021
The sexy, laugh-out-loud standalone romance Decidedly with Luck releases June 29, 2021.

Pre-order on all ebook retailers:

Kindle: https://smarturl.it/KindleDWW

Apple Books: https://smarturl.it/AppleDWW

Nook: http://bit.ly/DWW-Nook

Kobo: https://smarturl.it/DWWKobo

Google Play: http://bit.ly/DwWishes-GooglePlay

Also coming soon to print and audiobook!

EXCERPT:

ELI

“The first time you masturbated?” she asked.

A loud laugh erupted from my lungs, and I briefly took my eyes off the road to glance at her.
“I can’t believe I said that.” Her hands were now covering her face, her words muffled.

My gaze switched back to the road. “I can’t believe you said it either, but I’m not complaining. It means I get to ask you the same question.”

“I don’t remember that in the rules.” Her voice was no longer muffled.

“It’s in the fine print. Contestants have the right to ask the same question as soon as the last person asks it.” Considering we’d already asked almost every question under the moon, there weren’t many topics left to cover.

Until her question, the topic of sex had been side-stepped around.

I, for one, was more than thrilled to venture into this new territory.

Want to read the first chapter?

https://stinalindenblattauthor.com/de...
Profile Image for Trace.
71 reviews1 follower
May 23, 2021
Another amazing book by Stina.

Nala is a fashion designer that wants to bring beautiful dresses to everyone but her heart goes out to the the little girls with disabilities. She starts with making them for her best friends little girl Sabrina. She also makes a bucket list in collage. Her grandmother has told her that if she finishes her bucket list in 3 months she can make dresses for the girls.
Eli is a hockey player that wants nothing to do with relationships. Nala's best friends bid
on Eli for Nala at the charity auction to help her fulfill one thing on her bucket list.

He needs a fake girlfriend and she needs help with her list they make an agreement to help each other
They go to Copper Creek to attend Eli's cousins wedding. They also can fulfill most of her things on the list.
Some of my most favourite parts of the book is the amazing kiss in the Bakery, Nala making a dress for Eli's niece and of course we can't forget Tony and Robert playing a game of The Bachelorette to help Nala find a husband.
Profile Image for Erin Lewis.
4,793 reviews182 followers
June 24, 2021
5 Star Review Decidedly With Wishes (By the Bay #7) by Stina Lindenblatt

Stina Lindenblatt is a relatively new author to me but what I have read I have really enjoyed. Nala Johnson and Elias Lawson, I loved them separately but what a fantastic couple these two make. From the first to the last chapter I was hooked on this well written and entertaining story that ticked all the boxes for me.

Nala has a bucket list and in exchange for her grandmother allowing her to create a fashion line for girls with special needs, Nala must tick off the items on her bucket list. Eli is a man who needs a girlfriend in a hurry and when Nala wins a date with the NHL player they both see it as fate. He’ll help her tick of her items and she will pretend to be his girlfriend to get his mother to stop matchmaking on his behalf.

I loved this book, it had me smiling throughout and was an entertaining read.
July 1, 2021
I have read a couple of the books in this series but this one is perhaps my favorite. Nala and Eli are playing a ruse but from the start, these two have chemistry. You know it is only a matter of time before they move things to the next level.

Both of these characters are interesting and have multiple layers to them. I liked that they truly became friends on their long road trip and then moved on to more.

Great summer read! I enjoyed the scenery along the way and really enjoyed getting to know Nala and Eli.


*Complimentary copy provided for an honest review.
Profile Image for Susa.
450 reviews
May 25, 2021
Another lovely story in this series!
The main characters become friends to help each other i.e. Eli needs a plus one for a family wedding to stop his mom and aunts from matching him up with girls he feels nothing for. Nala needs to tick off all things on her bucket list to get her granny’s approval for her idea to branch off and design clothes for girls with special needs (grand idea in my book!). The hardest part of her list is finding a husband she madly falls in love with, pronto!
The story starts of in a very romantic way, by the time Eli and Nala become friends with benefits, however, a load of trouble pop up and due to a boatload of insecurities our main characters almost blow their HEA, but - do read for yourselves … I greatly enjoyed spending my time with his book’s characters 👍🏼
Profile Image for Judith Miguel.
Author 2 books21 followers
June 23, 2021
This book is so sweet!! I really really enjoyed it!
As the future CEO of her grandmother’s fashion empire, Nala Johnson wants to design a line of fancy dresses for girls with special needs. But when she presents her vision to her grandmother, she agrees to let her try on one very questionable condition: to complete every item on the bucket list she wrote in college. Only, this bucket list includes going on a date with a hot hockey player, riding a horse, kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower…and finding a husband.
When his matchmaking mother sets him up with a date for his cousin’s wedding, NHL player Eli Lawson tells her that he’s bringing his girlfriend. Except, he doesn’t have one. And he certainly doesn’t have someone who will spend a week with him in Copper Creek, Montana for the wedding festivities.
When Nala wins a date with him at a charity auction, he thinks he has found the perfect solution. Even better when she tells him about her bucket list. Because he is just the man to help her with it. How difficult can it be to find her a husband?
This book is sooo good! It’s smart and witty, with funny dialogs and nice sex scenes. The chemistry between them is of the chart. I loved Nala, she is so driven, and Eli is hot and sweet: he is such an adorable uncle! Abby and Sarina, with their beautiful princess dresses, were my favorite characters! I really enjoy this one and I highly recommended.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
69 reviews4 followers
June 5, 2021
Nala, oh Nala! Little Ms. Workaholic in for a shock (and treat) when her grandmother throws out the ultimate ultimatum - complete her long forgotten college bucket list and her company will finance and help bring to life Nala's true passion - creating beautiful dresses for special needs children.

I mean - what could possibly go wrong? I mean, anyone can find a husband and get married in 3 months - right?

Enter Eli - the guy who needs a fake date for his cousin’s wedding. He promises to make all your dreams come true - or complete your bucket list at least. Only problem - you leave out the teeny tiny fact you need to fall in love and get married too. Oops - tiny oversight, right?

Let the games begin!

I’ve read this entire series and I am officially convinced this is my favorite! Nala and Eli somehow manage to become #relationshipgoals without even trying. This book is the perfect low angst, feel good story! Perfect for a beach or rainy day read - or honestly - an anytime read! You won’t be sorry!
Profile Image for Laura .
811 reviews22 followers
June 30, 2021
Decidedly with Wishes was such a fantastic book. It has some fun tropes involved, and it was a book that I could not put down. This may have been my first Stina Lindenblatt book, but it will not be my last. This book was simply amazing, and I loved the entire story.

Also the friendships that Nala has are wonderful. They all stepped in to give her a hand, and the recreation of the Bachelorette show was the best. Robert and Tony out did them selves.

The thing that made my heart happy though was Nala's passion for creating clothing for those amazing young girls. That was what drew me into the story. The fact that Nala ended up in a "fake" relationship a professional hockey player was just a bonus.
Profile Image for Kathryn Linke .
2,118 reviews23 followers
July 6, 2021
Decidedly with Wishes is the seventh title in the By the Bay series but can easily be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the previous books, but thoroughly enjoyed this fun, light-hearted and entertaining read, featuring a relationship of convenience.
Eli is a sweet, professional hockey player in need of a girlfriend. Nala is a people pleaser who bures herself in work after being burned in a past relationship.
This pair agree to help each other out, Nala needs to complete and bucket list, and Eli needs a fake girlfriend to keep his family’s matchmaking at bay.
The chemistry and connection between this pair is undeniable, and their banter is fun, flirty and witty.
Profile Image for lowkeyreader.
4,653 reviews45 followers
June 28, 2021
I loved Nala and her optimism and dreams. I loved what she does for the little girls. I was just rooting for her to get to make those dresses. But then she and Eli are also amazing. They have chemistry and banter that you wouldn't get bored with these two. They just clicked. The side characters were amazing too. I don't know how the author can pack so many things inside the book, but I loved The Bachelor part though. And that lovely and heartwarming ending!! My most favourite part of the book!

Overall, I highly, highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for The Book Lover.
2,074 reviews32 followers
June 30, 2021
It was a good story with likeable characters, I read it in one sitting because It kept me going since chapter 1, I loved the hero.
Profile Image for Pauline Cassie.
994 reviews38 followers
June 27, 2021
Decidedly With Wishes was a lovely, sweet novel that introduced me to the work of Stina Lindenblatt and I'll definitely be going back to explore other novels in her 'By the Bay' series.

I loved the way that the author so seamlessly wove characters from a diverse range of backgrounds, circumstances and abilities into this sweet story of life, love, generosity, acceptance and joy.

Joy in being together. Joy in fulfilling a dream. Joy in providing a service that is lacking and watching it come to fruition.

All in all an author whose work I'll gladly read in the future.
Profile Image for Mandy.
419 reviews1 follower
June 17, 2021
Loved Eli and Nala! This was such a sweet story. I loved that Nala was brave enough to try to do everything on her bucket list. Loved how Eli volunteered his time because he had been bullied and how Nala made dresses for special needs little girls so they could feel like princesses.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Jo-Ann Forrest.
2,604 reviews18 followers
June 26, 2021
Nala is the heir to a fashion empire and works non stop. She pitches an idea to her grandmother to expand their line by adding dresses for little girls with disabilities. In order to make this happen, she must complete her college bucket list. Eli is an NHL player and needs a date to a wedding because he is being set up by his mother and aunts. Both are desperate and need a miracle. One of Nala's item on her bucket list is going on a date with a hot hockey player. What happens next is a journey of discovery and opening your heart to possibilities. Another great addition to this series! I volunteered to review this story.
Profile Image for Chantilly Lace.
16 reviews5 followers
June 12, 2021
It was a cute read. A different take on the circumstance of the main character Nala being a“fake girlfriend.” As someone who works within a population of special needs kids I greatly appreciated the attention to detail the author put in to represent sensory processing disorders. They were quite accurate. I liked the characterization of Eli and his insecurities. The ending was just a bit rushed which is why I put only 4 stars.
84 reviews2 followers
July 5, 2021
DECIDEDLY WITH WISHES, by Stina Lindenblatt, is the 7th book in the steamy BY THE BAY SERIES. The story follows the fake relationship of Elias Lawson, blond, blue-eyed hockey player for the San Francisco Rock team, and Nala Johnson, beautiful, golden-skin, brown-eyed dress designer and future heiress of her grandmother's high-end fashion house. They meet when she bumps into him before a wheelchair hockey game at the local children's hospital. Nala's godchild, six-year-old Sarina, is getting ready to play in the game, and Eli is there with three teammates to join in. Eli and Nala get together when a date with Eli is auctioned off at a charity event and Nala's three best friends go together and make the winning bid in Nala's name. He needs a week-long date to his cousin's wedding in Montana, and she needs to check off items from the bucket list she made in college--which just happens to include a date with a hot hockey player. So they agree to help each other.

REALLY ENJOYED:
1. Both of the main characters have interesting and unique backstories. Eli has trouble reading and was bullied because of undiagnosed dyslexia when he was younger and only agrees to be in the auction because it benefits a literacy program for foster kids. He also has a niece with Downs Syndrome who brightens his world. Nala has designed clothes since she was young and wants to make clothes for disabled children to get on and off easily, so every child can feel special. They are both workaholics without much social lives.
2. The story highlights several disabilities in a positive way and shows how Eli and Nala are compassionate and committed to helping others.
3. Nala's pet is a hedgehog named Thistle. I love this! Very unusual and, according to Nala, perfect for her lifestyle.
4. The storyline is fun with trying to fool Eli's family into thinking Nala is his girlfriend and named Edith (Eddie for short) and with Nala getting Eli's help in setting up ways to tackle her bucket list.
5. Nala is extremely proud of how her grandmother, Bibi, overcame prejudices against a woman, especially a Black woman, to achieve her dreams in the highly competitive fashion industry.
6. Supporting characters are quite cute and have backstories a little different from usual romance stories.

SUMMARY:
I enjoyed DECIDEDLY WITH WISHES for its interesting characters, unique storyline, and fun situations. (The cover's not so bad either.) Its lightheartedness makes it perfect for a vacation read, and the whole book is a good addition to the author's BY THE BAY SERIES. It's a must-read for those who like character-driven stories, and I totally recommend it.

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:
Other books in the BY THE BAY SERIES by Stina Lindenblatt, the CHICAGO REBELS SERIES and REBELS ROOKIES SERIES by Kate Meader, the SLAYERS HOCKEY SERIES by Mira Lyn Kelly, the SCORING SERIES by Jami Davenport, the NASHVILLE ASSASSINS and NASHVILLE ASSASSINS: NEXT GENERATION SERIES by Toni Aleo, the ARIZONA VENGEANCE SERIES by Sawyer Bennett

* Read my other reviews on the Blue Moon Mystery Saloon blog.
** An e-ARC was provided by Booksprout and the author for an honest review.
Profile Image for Canadian Girl Reads.
912 reviews26 followers
July 3, 2021
Decidedly with Wishes was fun and entertaining that had me smiling and filled my heart with happiness.

I was like a firefly who'd been released from a jar, free to glow among the trees. Free to move on and focus on my future and not be stuck in the past.


Eli needs a fake girlfriend for his cousin's wedding after telling his mom he had a girlfriend when she kept trying to set him up. Nala needs to complete her college bucket list in three months in order to get her grandmother to help make her dream of creating dresses for girls with disabilities a reality. Nala's friends bid on Eli at an auction so she can cross off "date with a hot hockey player" off her bucket list. While on their date Eli and Nala make a deal that they will help each other complete their tasks. Everything is going as planned until Eli finds Nala's bucket list and finds out that she didn't tell him everything.

Eli and Nala's story was an easy and entertaining read. I loved that there was not a lot of drama and that by having to check items off her bucket list, Nala learned to have fun again and stop being such a workaholic. I feel that the bucket list also helped Eli and made both of them realize that just because they got burned in the past not everyone is the same. I loved that there were characters from all different walks of life mentioned in the book proving that love is love no matter who you are.

Rating ... 4 Maple Leafs
Genre/Trope ... Romantic Comedy, Friends to Lovers, Sports Romance (Hockey), Opposites Attract, Interracial Romance
POV ... First-Person (Eli and Nala)

*advanced copy requested and honestly reviewed on behalf of Canadian Girl Book Blog*

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Profile Image for Jenn  M..
541 reviews10 followers
June 28, 2021
Decidedly with Wishes is the latest book in Stina Lindenblatt's By the Bay series, and while it is a part of a series, it can also be enjoyed as a complete stand alone.

Nala Johnson is a list maker- and as a workaholic they help her plan her time and her life. Only when a bucket list from college now stands between her and her dreams does she start to realize that just maybe there is more to living than just work. Eli Lawson has a problem- his mother and aunts have set their matchmaking eyes on him and getting him a date to his cousin's wedding. When Eli finds out about Nala's list, he quickly agrees to help her if she helps him by being his date and save him from his family. Pretending shouldn't be hard, he has no intention on being in a real relationship so all this time, close quarters and PDA won't change anything... right?

This was my first Stina Lindenblatt book- and I can say that after reading Nala and Eli's story that I can't wait to go back and read the previous books in this series. I absolutely loved Nala and Eli- despite coming from different backgrounds and having vastly different careers, they both have so many other things in common. They both care about their careers, love dogs and their families, they have a soft spot in caring for children with disabilities and even have both been burned by an ex-fiance, turning them off from trying for a new relationship. Eli has this protective sweetness when it comes to Nala that everyone else seems to see but the two of them. I love how they build this sweet and almost intense friendship to where they consider each other to be one of their best friends and how it just kind of seamlessly rolls into feelings of a little more (despite how much they try to deny it). Decidedly with Wishes is such a fun, sweet and easy read you will not want to put down- complete with moments of humor that will make you giggle, moments that will make your heart swoon as well as some fantastic scenes of the heat between Nala and Eli.
Profile Image for LJT.
1,233 reviews2 followers
June 29, 2021
4.5 Stars!

Stina Lindenblatt has become one of my goto authors. I don't even bother to read the book blurb because I know whatever she writes will be a winner. Decidedly with Wishes, her latest offering, is a hot read with a lot of heart. It is the seventh book from the By the Bay series and it can be enjoyed as a standalone. I must mention that books 1-6 are amazing as well.

Nala Johnson loves her job as a couture dress designer for her grandmother's fashion house. She is a talented workaholic, but is able to find time to create beautiful dresses for girls with special needs. In fact, her dream is design an entire line of dresses for girls with special needs. Once her grandmother retires, Nala will become the company's CEO. However, if she wants to create a special needs line while her grandmother is in charge, she must complete all the items on the bucket list that she wrote in college. Item number one, a date with a hot hockey player.

Elias Lawson is a single, professional hockey player. He is not looking for a romantic commitment and prefers the occasional one night stand. Unfortunately for him, his mother and aunt think otherwise. Tired of his mother's matchmaking and interference, Eli tells her he has a girlfriend and that he is bringing her to his cousin's wedding. Luckily, Nala agrees to be Eli's fake girlfriend, after they meet at a charity benefit and get to know each other. Overtime, they fall into lust and love.

This is both a passionate and fun love story. Ms. Lindenblatt perfectly combines heat, humor and emotion into this fast-paced romantic read. I immediately connected with both Nala and Eli, and I cheered them on as their platonic relationship evolved into much more. I loved the charity auction and how Nala's good friends set her up. Nala and Eli's calling to help others tugged at my heartstrings. Overall, this is a terrific book with a wonderful epilogue.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
July 5, 2021
Decidedly with Luck is the seventh book in the By the Bay series by Stina Lindenblatt. Even though it’s a part in a series it is a complete standalone romance.

This book is about Nala Johnson. After she caught her ex-fiance cheating on her she became a workaholic. She loves fashion and especially to design beautiful dresses for girls with special needs. With this idea she goes to her grandmother who is also an owner of a fashion empire. She will have her own fashion line under one condition. Nala has to fulfill the bucket list which she wrote in college. There are only six things she has to do. One of them is to go on a date with a hot hockey player. Here comes NHL player Elias “Eli” Lawson in the picture. She has already met him briefly but now she will get to know him because her friends won an auction for her to go on a date with him. Maybe he can help her to tick off more items from her bucket list.

Like every other book by Stina it is really beautifully written. It is kind of a sports romance but for me it really is a fake girlfriend /dating trope. I really love the story of Nala wanting to design these dresses for all the girls out there who have special needs and don’t fit in the “normal” dresses and it’s so heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time to read how happy she makes the girls. It’s a really wonderful storyline Stina wrote about.

Can I say that I literally fell in love with Eli the very first second? But let me tell you, he is not perfect. There was a moment or two where I was like why?! But in the end he made me swoon so much! Nala and Eli have such amazing chemistry and they felt so at ease with each other from the very beginning. I thought that Eli’s family is really hilarious and I loved that they kind of played a big part in this story.

If you are looking for a light and fun read, this is the book for you!
Profile Image for Laurie.
1,545 reviews31 followers
July 1, 2021
Fashion designer and women's clothing company executive Nala Johnson dreamed of producing a line of special occasion dresses for girls with special needs, but the only way her grandmother and boss, Bibi, would agree to fund it was if Nala completed her college bucket list within three months. It seemed like an impossible task given that the list included items such as going on a date with a hot hockey player and finding a husband, but Nala was determined to try. Her friends managed to score a date for her with hockey player Elias "Eli" Lawson through a charity auction, but Nala soon learned that his reasons for participating in the auction weren't entirely altruistic: Eli needed a fake girlfriend to accompany him to his cousin's wedding in Montana to avoid being set up by his matchmaking mother and aunts. Nala agreed to take on the role in exchange for Eli's help in completing some of the items on her bucket list. Neither of them expected to become friends along the way, or that their friendship could actually lead to something more if Eli ever managed to get out of his own way.

Eli and Nala were both incredibly likeable, sympathetic characters, and their story was a tremendous amount of fun. I really enjoyed their playful banter as well as the way that they so quickly and easily became friends. Going from friends to lovers wasn't quite as easy for them because of the emotional baggage they were both carrying from previous relationships, but their HEA was worth all of the struggle it took to get there.

Overall, I loved this funny, sweet, and heartwarming story and highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I look forward to the next book in the series!

*Review copy provided by the author via Wildfire Marketing Solutions. All opinions expressed are my own.
713 reviews5 followers
June 29, 2021
Nala is a workaholic designer who works at her grandmother’s fashion house and on the side makes fancy dresses for girls with physical disabilities. When she approaches her grandmother to make these dresses part of their fashion house her grandmother agrees if she can complete her 6 item college bucket list in the next 3 months. The list includes riding a horse, a date with a hot hockey player as well as finding a husband. To help Nala her friends win a date for her with Eli at a charity auction. Eli is a star hockey player who has had bad experiences dating and he needs to bring a date with him to his cousin’s wedding in his hometown or his mother will set him up with a women he knows and dislikes. When he tells Nala about the wedding she agrees to travel with him there spend the 12 days to help him and complete the first five items on her bucket list(she never told him about the last item of finding a husband). They are attracted to each other but Eli is not looking for a long term relationship so after he finds out that Nala needs a husband he agrees to help her find someone. Will Nala be able to finish the items on her bucket list with Eli’s help?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story with the workaholic whose grandmother wants her to have more fun and the hockey player who has been disillusioned by his ex fiancé. The author did a great job letting you see how both Nala and Eli were felling and why they acted as they did. They became friends and then more as Nala worked to finish her list. The epilogue was a great ending for their story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Amy Reierson.
1,020 reviews15 followers
June 26, 2021
Eli and Nala or (Eddie) as Eli's family first meets her are I think one of the sweetest, most adorable couples I've read so far this year.

This book was lighthearted, funny, inspirational, and just all around great to read.
Eli the talented very good looking hockey player with a heart of gold needs a fake girlfriend to keep his meddling family from trying to set him up.
Nala our smart, sassy, talented, and beautiful black fashion designer, needs to complete her college bucket list to get her hilarious and mischievous Bibi to fund her dream. Item #6 find a husband. Bibi's time given to complete list 3mo.

Ridiculous right?
Well lucky for Nala she runs right into Eli, literally. So begins their friendship, which is so so much fun. The chemistry is obvious right away but Eli really wants to be friends with a woman and Nala admits she doesn't have time for a relationship.
This is a great friendship.

There are so many good things about this book. The little girls with special needs who need these dresses. To a learning disabilities that fuels a need to help kids who are smart and just need a little help learning. Someone's insecurities who drive them to make some ridiculous mistakes.

I better stop I want to keep going but I don't want to ruin the story, but there with be lots of love, with an HEA. Low drama, great friends and family, and some really good laughs.

I will definitely be recommending this book.

I have voluntarily left this review.
Profile Image for Dee.
3,844 reviews49 followers
June 30, 2021
The addition starts with the book cover….yeah…yeah…yeah don’t judge a book by its cover they say ….well we all do it and this one here it is the scratch to your itch or better yet the filling to your oreos! Speaking of filling…..wait, that’s for later. Within the first chapters you get the panoramic view of whom you’re dealing with! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
This is book seven of the By The Bay series it appears each book is connected so they can’t be read as a standalone so why just read one when you can start at the beginning and keep reading through the series it won’t be a waste of time. Nala a fashion designer, workaholic and loves her job but her grandmother /friends want her to enjoy life a little more. When Nala was in college, she made a bucket list but due to working all the time she never got around to completing her bucket list so when she asks her grandmother to allow her to do a fashion line it is with conditions. Well in order to make her dresses for her girls with disabilities the condition is to complete her bucket list. Elie is a sexy as all get out hockey player and heading back home for his cousins wedding and to avoid a set up with his mom, he tells his mom he has a girlfriend and will be bring her to the wedding. Between a well-meaning mom and grandmother these two come together and the chemistry is instant and intense, the magnetic pull can’t be ignored is it enough for them to have their own happiness?
Profile Image for Sassafrack.
475 reviews11 followers
June 21, 2021

So so sweet. The characters were absolutely loveable. The story was low angst but sincere. Everything just flowed from start to finish and was so easy to read. I loved all the little nods to past book characters, and especially loved the Copper Creek trip.
Nala’s passion for creating dresses for girls with disabilities was awesome. That along with how she manages to stay chill, while also confronting things head on, totally made me love her. And Eli was almost adorably clueless about relationships. And if I tried to describe him, he wouldn’t come off perfect, but I never once didn’t like him. He was genuine and generous, and despite my almost doubts, he got there in the end.
Nala wanted her grandmother’s company to start selling her specialty dresses, but her grandmother wants her to ease off being such a workaholic. So when they strike a deal and Nala needs to do everything on her younger self’s bucket list, it seems impossible. But after her friends step in to get things started, Eli decides he wants to help. It doesn’t hurt that he likes her, and he needs a girlfriend for his sister’s wedding. It’s win win.
A really great read. Loved it.
2,092 reviews14 followers
July 1, 2021
Stana Lindenblatt's seventh novel in the By the Bay series, Decidedly With Wishes, is a wonderfully written rom-com you won't be able to put down. It features one of my favourite romance tropes, the fake relationship, but it takes great writing, engaging characters and steamy chemistry to put a fun and fresh spin on it, and Eli and Nala's story has all that and more. Nala is a fashion designer eager to take her grandmother's business in a new direction; her grandmother is happy to let her, on the condition that she fulfil her bucket list from college! One item - a date with a hot hockey player - brings her into Eli's world when she wins a date with the professional hockey player at a charity auction. Not only does it knock off an item on her bucket list, but Eli is able to use their meeting to his own advantage - when he needs a date to his cousin's wedding to get out of the set-up his meddling matchmaker mother arranged. Eli and Nala are so much fun, and while the road to true love never does run smooth, the journey to it in this case is highly entertaining.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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