Review: One Wild Wish

Title: One Wild Wish
Series: One Wish
Author: Devon Rhodes
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Publication Date: 1 June 2010
Reviewed Format: ebook
Length: 72 pages

Rating: 3 out of 5

Review: The gig Rory's band, One Wish, scores at a remote mountain retreat sounds too good to be true, even with the weird conditions in the contract--like the one stating that everyone must be in a committed relationship. Faking it with his bandmate and longtime friend-with-benefits Benny, Rory isn't quite prepared for Jared, but neither is Jared for Rory. The heat between them threatens to overcome the act with Benny, especially when Rory's ex arrives on the scene and Jared's nephew goes missing. Will they be able to wrest some semblance of control or will they let their base instincts take over?

Rory is the frontman for the band One Wish, along with his friend Benny. He's attractive and charismatic, enough to take the band far. He's also dealing with the fallout of the bad end of his relationship with his ex, Richard. He's never very well developed, unfortunately, but he's likable enough that that doesn't really matter too much.

Jared is an alpha shapeshifter, watching over other alphas as they come of age, the celebration of which brings One Wish to his home. He's controlled and protective of his nephew Curtis, one of the celebrants, but not immune to puppy eyes and cajoling. He's also a bit underdeveloped, but still an appealing character.

As a couple, Rory and Jared an interesting complement. The tension between them is lovely, conflicting with the fiction of Rory's relationship with Benny, which gives Jared plenty of opportunities for jealous posturing. It's a slow burn that is unfortunately a bit rushed in the end; certain aspects that develop following the consummation of their relationship are accepted a little too quickly to be believable. Still, they're an attractive couple that fits well together.

The supporting cast has its strengths and weaknesses. Benny and Curtis are appealing enough (and have their own sequel) but the other members of One Wish annoyed me a little in their brief appearances. Richard was a cardboard villain who could have used a little more development, though he served his purpose well enough.

The story itself needed to be longer, I think. Although the pieces fit well together, certain portions--particularly the ending--were very rushed and a bit of a letdown because of that. It was still a pleasant story, just abrupt. It featured both Rory and Jared's points of view, but the breaks were well broken by chapter or section, without random head-hopping. The writing itself was also enjoyable, with solid editing.

Although both story and characters could have used a bit of expansion, this was still a pleasant diversion. I certainly look forward to picking up the sequel and revisiting this world.