Meg Shaffer

Lucy didn’t have a wonderful childhood, but she found some solace in a wonderful series of books for children. She even ran away to the island where her beloved author lived. Now, years later, Lucy is a teacher’s aid, and has come to love a little boy in her class whose parents have died. She wants to foster him, a prelude to adoption, but she doesn’t qualify. She needs a home, more income, and a car. She needs money. In a miraculous turn of events, she and three others have been invited to the island of the famous author, in the hopes of winning a contest. The prize? His latest novel, which will be worth enough money to make her dream come true. Is it too much to wish for, or will her wish come true? This novel is quite clever, with its riddles and twists along the way. The characters are endearing, and even the competitors in the contest are likable. And it even has a lesson in the end. You may not get what you wished for, you may get something even better. Intriguing and entertaining, this well-written book is highly recommended.… (more)

This book reads like a young adult book and covers issues of foster care, adoption, bad parents, sexual content (really very mild). It also gives a lot of mentions to other children's books. It's also a romance. I would fault the book for trying to do too much. I think the author borrowed from a other writers such as using the name Astrid, the parents who have a daughter as a organ donor (Piccoult), I found some good things; the listing of other great reads, the feel good ending. Not very original.… (more)