Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
Bestselling romantic suspense writer Michaels delivers another gripping plot, though it's easy to detect predictable dramatic devices in the story of Helen Ward, a physically abused wife who finally stands up for herself and sets off for a better life. While beating Helen one night, her husband Daniel finally pushes her too far when he kicks her beloved dog, Lucie. Helen retaliates by bashing him with a fireplace poker. Fleeing their house in a California suburb, Helen finds refuge in a veterinary hospital, where she meets Dr. Gerald Davis, who immediately recognizes that Helen needs help as much as Lucie does. He calls local heiress and animal lover Isabel Tyger, who places Helen in a top-secret women's shelter. Much like a participant in the Federal Witness Protection Program, Helen assumes an alias and relocates to New Jersey. Now called Nancy Baker, Helen thrives in her new identity. She establishes an Internet lingerie shop, attends night school and falls for a handsome neighbor and fellow dog-lover, Sam Tolliver. As their relationship grows, Nancy longs to tell Sam the truth about her past, defying the first rule of the program. When her online connection to Tyger's program is interrupted, Nancy suspects her vengeful husband has finally found her. She is further depressed to learn she has been legally declared dead, thus making divorce impossible. Returning to California suggests all kinds of dangers, but Helen/ Nancy refuses to be a victim this time. Michaels (Celebration) builds up enough tension to fuel this contemporary novel, but an O.J. Simpson-style car chase gives way to a disappointingly quick climax. Fans will fill up on Michaels's direct prose in one sitting, while others may find it only a light snack. (Oct.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|
Library Journal
For Helen Stanley, survival means escaping from an abusive husband and creating a new life for herself. She joins an organization that protects abused women but at a cost; she is declared dead, given a new identity, and moved across the United States. She starts her own business, a Victoria's Secret knock-off, and attracts the attention of a loving man, Sam Tolliver. Meanwhile, ex-husband Daniel's fortunes spiral downward. Having lost his job, he blames his misfortunes on his wife's desertion and stalks Helen, bent on a murderous revenge. Fortunately, Helen is rescued by her new beau. Despite the predictable ending, readers will admire Helen's determination to remake her life in a positive direction, meeting each challenge as it comes. Says Helen, "It doesn't matter where you've been. What matters is where you're going and how you get there." Recommended for public libraries and for the many fans of Michaels's previous works (e.g., Celebration).--Carol J. Bissett, New Braunfels P.L., TX Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.\
Internet Book Watch
Helen Wood seems to have it all. She owns an exquisite home, beautiful clothing, and tasteful furniture. In reality, Helen lives the life of horror, a long time victim of spousal abuse. Her injuries have been so numerous, Helen wonders when he will kill her. Helen's sole companion and friend is her Yorkshire Terrier Lucie. This time her husband Daniel goes too far, hurting Lucie. Helen fights back by knocking him out with a poker. Grabbing Lucie, she flees to a vet to obtain care for her injured canine's leg. The vet calls wealthy Isabel Tyger who runs shelters and an underground railroad for battered women. Taking one look at Helen and Lucie, Isabel knows. She places the Californian and her dog in New Jersey where they meet Sam. Sam and Helen fall in love, but she knows the dangerous Daniel still searches to find her to enact a most brutal punishment for what he regards as her betrayal. Spousal abuse is rarely the centerpiece of a romance novel as it is considered to harsh of a topic. However, the adept Fern Michaels succeeds in showcasing the horrors of abuse without preaching pat solutions to a complex problem. Helen is not only ashamed of taking the BS, but so humiliated that she struggles with the concept of happiness. That is part of Ms. Michaels' message: abuse is more than physical, it is mental and emotional hitting the entire community. What You Wish For is a deep and complex contemporary tale that combines an in-depth look at a troubling social issue with a bit of romance to takes some of the edge off it. Only the incomparable Ms. Michaels could make that combo work.
—Internet Book Watch
Kirkus Reviews
A battered woman begins a new life—until her psychopathic husband catches up with her.
