Wish

A Male/Male Westbrook Elite Stand-Alone

By: Cambria Hebert

Narrated by: Owen Keith, Scott Rose

For me, choice might as well be a wish. My parents died in a fiery car crash when I was barely sixteen. I’m gay. I’m also totally in love with my brother. I didn’t choose any of that. In fact, I’ve tried like hell to deny it. But here I am in all my gay, brother-loving, no-parentals glory.

Technically, Max isn’t my brother. Not by blood anyway. That should make it less ick, right? Considering he calls my parents mom and dad, probably not. Also, did I mention he’s straight?

So that’s me: the freestyle swimmer doing my best to keep my sexuality on the down-low while simultaneously wishing my feelings for Max will evaporate into thin air. Too bad he acts like he’s my keeper and my heart shakes every time his eyebrow ring glints in the sun or he levels his opaque stare on me with an intensity matched by nothing else.

My desire to keep my personal life personal drowns at the bottom of the pool when a fellow Elite lets everyone in on my business, which throws Max into macho protective mode all over again.

Enough is enough, though. I’m forcing myself to move on.

Maybe the best way to forget about my forbidden crush is to find a new one. I have options. More than I realized.

Unfortunately, none of them are leather-wearing, tattoo-sporting, motorcycle-riding grumpholes.

So here I am wishing for Max while someone else wishes for me.

Someone who decides if they can’t have me…

No one will.

Please note that Wish contains homophobia. There is also mention of child abuse and parental death. This book also contains a male/male sibling-esque relationship and mentions of male assault. Some listeners may find these things uncomfortable.

©2023 Cambria Hebert Books, LLC (P)2023 Pink Flamingo Productions

It Keeps Getting Better!

Since Wes was younger there was one near constant presence in his life besides his family and that was Max. While Max isn’t his biological older brother, he had a terrible family life and Wes' family essentially made him one of their own. After the loss of his parents Max stepped up into the role of his protector and guardian placing him firmly off limits.

Coming out to his swim team wasn't anything Wes had planned to do especially given the disastrous consequences of his last coming out but surprisingly most of the team has accepted him with no issue. Everything is finally starting to go right for him but there's still a Max shaped hole in his heart that nothing else can seem to fill.

Just when it seems all hope is lost an accident seems to shake Max's firm resolve apart. He can't lose Wes. And despite how hard he's tried to tamp down his feelings now that the reality of Wes being lost to him is tangible, he'll have to decide if he's willing to risk it all or if he's going to let it go.

Unrequited love trope always hits me right in the feels and this one especially tugged hard on my heart strings. It was obvious to everyone but Wes how gone Max was for him, but their complicated family dynamics made them both feel their happy ending would always be out of reach. As with all the books in the series, I adore this found family that has been slowly building. Especially as the banter has evolved between the swimmers and their respective loved ones as their found family expands.

The narrators for this one drew me into the story, and I feel like they perfectly embodied the push and pull between Max and Wes. Sometimes with two male narrators it can be more difficult to know whose speaking when but these two made it easy which I always appreciate. I continue to adore listening to this series and I can't wait for the next one to come out on audio so I can continue my binge.

Elite Swimmer Wes

Max is Wes brother’s best friend and comes from an abusive home. Wes’ family took him in and treated him as one of their own. However, Max and Wes had always had a connection. That connection might have fallen into place as expected, but due to a car accident Wes’ parents died leaving Wes his brother and Max alone. At the time Max was the only one of age. Wes mother asked Max to take over guardianship of both Wes who was 16 and his brother who was 17. Max would do anything to keep everyone together agreed. Years later Wes and Max’s connection is still there and after Wes gets into a car accident Max can no longer stay away. Wes suffers a lot thought this story but his connection to Max just gets stronger.

Nakita Thomas

I love it the series Wish West finally get the man of his dreams. But the stalking of women it can happen to a man too.

Just okay

This book was just okay for me. Nothing much about it. It’s just safe. Both narrators did an excellent job

Loved these two, great love and chemistry!

I am loving this series, this author has become one of my all-time favs at this point. I am so happy I was put on to this series. I am going to be grabbing the rest as they come out on audio because they are done so well and I love the experience of listening to these characters.

I will be honest and say I was dying for Max and Wes after listening to books 1 and 2. I love M/M and the tension between them was so palpable, I was needed to see them fall in love and tell each other their feelings. I liked the push and pull between them. I felt bad for Wes for all that he has had to endure in his short life. Max hasn’t had an easy upbringing either though and the trauma and responsibility he had to shoulder was a lot for an 18 year old. I really enjoyed their dynamic and was happy to see Max finally letting go and realizing his love for Wes was more important than anything else. I loved how protective and possessive he was but then Wes turned around and did the same thing haha. I liked that Wes pushed back on Max but there was a D/S low-key relationship going on with the good boys and praise/dom tendencies and kinks slipped in. So hot and swoonworthy! I loved their intimate moments, how Max showed/revealed how much he loved him years before. The Nemo references and the tattoo made my heart flutter 😍

The plot was intriguing too. I could tell the baddie was going to be intense haha, I saw that coming relatively early on, but I wasnt expecting the team up and that is all I will say on that matter. I will say I was surprised Max’s dad didnt make a reappearance, not sure if he will come back in book 4 since we finally get the brother and his love interest! I loved the cameos from the other Elite and loved the new characters and so happy they are getting their own stories. I also really liked Coach in this one and hope he gets a HEA as well. He was there this time for Wes and showed more care and responsibility compared to books 1 and 2.

Narration was phenomenal, I loved both narrators and didnt want this audiobook to end haha. I did try to make it last longer but I needed to get to the HEA haha. I thought the internal turmoil between the two was done so well, the love came through the audio so well. The anger from Max and the sadness from Wes was palpable. So good, no critiques from me at all besides I think how some of the other guys from previous books was done a little OTT (Jamie in particular brooooo hahaha) but that would be it haha.

I will say this again is an easy 5/5 from me and this series has been one of my favs of 2023 BUT you really need to listen/read books 1 and 2 before this one. I think the push and pull with Wes and Max is amplified after listening to books 1 and 2 and seeing how they interacted before we get to book 3. I don’t think it would have been as impactful if you started on book 3. Also the little nods to books 1 and 2 and the characters wouldn’t have made sense. Highly recommend this series ❤️

🎧 Audiobook Obsession Reviewer - Flock Team 🎧

Loved this read

Wes and Max’s relationship was EVERYTHING I was expecting from the previous story. The friendship between all the characters and the support that they provide Wes is phenomenal especially because he’s scared of what they’ll think. The push and pull between Max and Wes is a little expected because Wes has always been in love with Max and Max has always seen Wes as more than his “brother” but doesn’t want to betray his best friend and their parents. When he finally lets his walls down and starts loving Wes out loud it’s everything! Some ups and downs and some people trying to do Wes harm, but never fear the girls show up with a trauma caramel latte. Good read and great narration. Love Cambria’s books in this series!!

Wes & Max

This is a new author to me. I listened to the audio. The narrators did a excellent job. I enjoyed listening to their story, poor Wes and everything he had and is going through. Max is sexy and possessive. Not only did I love the interaction between these two I also liked the side characters especially Wes's brother/Max's best friend. Hopefully he gets his own story too. Look forward to more from this author.

Had a hard time with this one

I had a hard time with this book. Not because the characters are gay, but because all I could think about was incest. Technically it's not, but it just has that vibe for me. Max became guardian to Wes when Max was only 18, when Wes' parents died in a car accident. Ever since then, he has taken care of Wes, making sure he was protected. Both have been attracted to each other since they were younger. So it was inevitable they would ultimately end up together.

Enter Wyn, Wes' biological brother. Wyn knows the attraction is there and it has become blatant. So he offers fatherly advice to Max. Pretty funny, but a good reminder. When Wes is in trouble, Max and Wyn track him and call in the troops to help.

Elite has taken several hits to its team and reputation in the last three books. Have they weeded out the bad seeds, or are there still some out there? Will it continue to fall to Ryan and Jamie to find these bad seeds?

Owen Keith and Scott Reid are both new narrators to me. They handled the subject matter well, as well as the angry, mature nature of Max and the youthful, happy go lucky nature of Wes.

Great story with ups and downs

The story was solid with well developed characters. The narration didn't do it justice. Max's character sounded like a grumpy old uncle instead of a hot in love sexy guy in the prime of his life. And when he did Wesleys voice it was awful! Meal and feeble, just terrible. I'll skip the next book with these guys narrating.

Absolutely Loved These Two

5/5 ⭐
4/5 🌶️
3/5 🎧

I am quickly falling in love with Cambria Hebert and everything she writes. This MM forbidden romance was everything I was hoping for and more. Max and Wes were so perfect and the forbidden aspect of being practically adopted brothers made this angsty as heck. I loved practically every moment, especially how Cambria hit the topic of SA and DR towards men. There was some homophobia, but it wasn't overwhelming as most of it was past experiences with some present ones.

The audio was pretty good. I definitely enjoyed my listen and really loved Wes' narrator. I had a hard time connecting Max with his narrator, he just wasn't what I imagined he sounded like and made it harder for me to connect with the story as a whole. But overall it was absolutely worth the download.

I flipping adored Wes. This man was so sweet and so head over heels for the one guy he thought he shouldn't want, his main protector and a guy he called his brother. The way he handled himself after his trauma was really beautiful. He was shy and very conscious of his actions, but he was so willing to open himself up again despite having such a terrible experience doing so before. I constantly wanted to just hug him, but also be his friend. Max was something else and a touch over the top in the beginning, but as the book went on you realized why. Not only was he harboring some very strong feelings for this guy he was supposed to be taking care of and looking out for, but Wes was also kinda a magnet for trouble... He mayyyy have had some right being as protective as he was, and as we got to see that I really fell hard for him.

I can't wait for Win's story. I am just loving this series so much and actually can't wait for all the other stories to come, but Win's is going to be an interesting one for sure.