Going Down and Man Candy (Five Wishes Book 1)

The book is actually two books and stories which have overlapping characters: book 1 - Going Down and book 2 - Man Candy.
Both are predictable from the beginning, but contain enough laughs that you keep reading. I actually liked the second book, Man Candy much better than the first. I would give it four stars for comedy. If you just want to laugh for a few hours, read them both.

Going Down

Marion has been trying to make it as an actress, but hasn't been having a lot of luck with her auditions. She does have a stable factor in her life though and goes to Mack's diner every day. He takes care of her and makes sure that she eats properly. Mack is also a very good looking man and Marion has been secretly in love with him ever since she met him two years ago. Will Marion be brave enough to confess how she truly feels?

Mack owns the local diner and is also Marion's landlord. He doesn't lack confidence, but somehow he never dared to tell Marion about the fact that he's attracted to her. Mack can't get her out if his head. He wants to be with Marion and only needs to find out if she feels the same way about him. What will they do when fate puts them together with no room to escape?

Going Down is a fun and lighthearted love story. I loved Elise Sax's over-the-top characters. The story is hilarious and I liked the chemistry between Marion and Mack from the start. The Wish Upon A Stud series evolves around a wishing well and I loved that idea. Haven't we all thrown in a coin once upon a time? I've made wishes throughout my entire life and I believe that with the right amount of hard work and a little bit of good luck you can make a lot of your wishes come true and I definitely enjoy reading books about this theme. Elise Sax is a new author for me and I liked the idea behind her story and her sense of humor a lot.

Man Candy

Raine has been in love with Wade ever since kindergarten. Raine works in the family business and is in charge of the food. Wade is a successful lawyer who works at a big firm. Wade never had eyes for Raine, but she keeps wishing the day he'll finally notice her will come. Raine has curves and she's terribly insecure about her body. When Raine is going out for a run she suddenly isn't feeling well. Luckily a man spots her before she faints and brings her to his cabin. The man turns out to be Dirk Adams, who is a famous movie star. Raine is starstruck, but Dirk is kind to her and even comes up with a phenomenal plan to make Wade fall in love with Raine. Will Wade see what he's been missing now that another man is interested in Raine?

Dirk is used to the spotlights and the screaming fans, but sometimes he needs a break. That's why he booked a small cottage away from all the madness that comes with being famous. He knows how to take care of himself and can hold his own in the kitchen. Dirk is an honest man and I loved it that he's far from shallow. He loves Raine just the way she is and that's exactly how love should be. Dirk thinks that Raine will get her wish due to his plan. What will happen when Dirk changes his mind and wants to keep Raine for himself?

Man Candy is a sweet romantic story with a powerful message. It tells us that it's okay to be who you are with or without a few extra pounds. Man Candy is the second book in the Wish Upon A Stud series and I love it that every story can be read as a standalone and that there are no open endings. Elise Sax doesn't leave you hanging with a cliffhanger, but she does make you curious to read the next book in the series. All of the books in this series are novellas, so they're perfect for when you don't have a lot of time and want to read a complete story. They're based on wishes, which is a wonderful theme. I really look forward to finding out more about the other wishes in this series.

Going Down

Marion has been trying to make it as an actress, but hasn't been having a lot of luck with her auditions. She does have a stable factor in her life though and goes to Mack's diner every day. He takes care of her and makes sure that she eats properly. Mack is also a very good looking man and Marion has been secretly in love with him ever since she met him two years ago. Will Marion be brave enough to confess how she truly feels?

Mack owns the local diner and is also Marion's landlord. He doesn't lack confidence, but somehow he never dared to tell Marion about the fact that he's attracted to her. Mack can't get her out if his head. He wants to be with Marion and only needs to find out if she feels the same way about him. What will they do when fate puts them together with no room to escape?

Going Down is a fun and lighthearted love story. I loved Elise Sax's over-the-top characters. The story is hilarious and I liked the chemistry between Marion and Mack from the start. The Wish Upon A Stud series evolves around a wishing well and I loved that idea. Haven't we all thrown in a coin once upon a time? I've made wishes throughout my entire life and I believe that with the right amount of hard work and a little bit of good luck you can make a lot of your wishes come true and I definitely enjoy reading books about this theme. Elise Sax is a new author for me and I liked the idea behind her story and her sense of humor a lot.

Man Candy

Raine has been in love with Wade ever since kindergarten. Raine works in the family business and is in charge of the food. Wade is a successful lawyer who works at a big firm. Wade never had eyes for Raine, but she keeps wishing the day he'll finally notice her will come. Raine has curves and she's terribly insecure about her body. When Raine is going out for a run she suddenly isn't feeling well. Luckily a man spots her before she faints and brings her to his cabin. The man turns out to be Dirk Adams, who is a famous movie star. Raine is starstruck, but Dirk is kind to her and even comes up with a phenomenal plan to make Wade fall in love with Raine. Will Wade see what he's been missing now that another man is interested in Raine?

Dirk is used to the spotlights and the screaming fans, but sometimes he needs a break. That's why he booked a small cottage away from all the madness that comes with being famous. He knows how to take care of himself and can hold his own in the kitchen. Dirk is an honest man and I loved it that he's far from shallow. He loves Raine just the way she is and that's exactly how love should be. Dirk thinks that Raine will get her wish due to his plan. What will happen when Dirk changes his mind and wants to keep Raine for himself?

Man Candy is a sweet romantic story with a powerful message. It tells us that it's okay to be who you are with or without a few extra pounds. Man Candy is the second book in the Wish Upon A Stud series and I love it that every story can be read as a standalone and that there are no open endings. Elise Sax doesn't leave you hanging with a cliffhanger, but she does make you curious to read the next book in the series. All of the books in this series are novellas, so they're perfect for when you don't have a lot of time and want to read a complete story. They're based on wishes, which is a wonderful theme. I really look forward to finding out more about the other wishes in this series.

 
    Book one Going Down 
   This was such a fun read .  Marion and Mack are so fun to read . They are friends but Mack is wanting more and Marion just wants an acting job.  Will they get together or not . 
  The characters in this short had me on the fence . One min I am wanting to slap Marion because she was so annoying at times . But she does turn it around after the elevator scene . Mack is brooding and oh so hunky and is finally fighting for what he wants . I would love to go fishing with him. Read the story ladies you will understand . 
 The story is short and fun filled laugh riot . 

Book 2 MAN CANDY 
  This is a really sweet , Raine and Dirk are such a cute couple together . Dirk could care less about the junk in her trunk ,he finds is so sexy . Raine is set on making another man fall for her . Too bad this othe man is a jerk . 
  I really liked Raine I mean we have all fallen for the guy that wants another type of girl . And do almost anything to get his attention while the perfect guy is right under our noses . Dirk is a sweet hunky guy who would do anything for the girl he likes even be a front for her . He is kind and sweet you just want to hug him and kiss him all night long . 
  This is a fun read that will hit home to most of us . The wrong guy and what would we do to figure out he is the wrong guy.  While the right guy is right there. The author has a great sense of humor . 

   Over all I loved both of these stories . Man Candy had a bit more story to it then Going down . There were more characters and it just felt like a better story . Don't get me wrong the first story was hot and the elevator scene was great . I really like the author's writing style , and is so friggen funny . So if you want a good set of stories to read check it out . 

   

In Going Down, I loved the undeniable chemistry and sassy banter between the wannabe actress, Marion and diner owner, Mack. Mack has been serving up yummy diner food to Marion for two years and is also her landlord, but after a stroke of luck, they are stuck together in a compromising situation that gives them a chance to get a little closer.

In Man Candy, Raine works with her parents catering to guests of their lakeside cabins. Raine is trying to lose as much as weight as possible before her forever crush, Wade returns to town. Instead, she meets a movie star named Dirk Adams. When he offers to pretend to be together to make Wade jealous, Raine learns a lot about herself and the type of man that she deserves.

Both of these were very quick reads but packed with plenty of laughter, as well as, some pretty steamy moments. The most relevant thing that comes to mind thinking back on these stories is the very realistic and relatable female characters. Marion is trying (unsuccessfully) to become an actress while Raine is struggling with her self-esteem and weight loss. There are very real moments in their struggles, as well as, laugh out loud moments that we have all experienced.

I also noticed that despite the short length of these novellas, Elise Sax developed these characters wonderfully, making it feel as if we had been reading about them much longer than you actually do. I could easily see and hear these characters throughout their stories and felt connected with all of them.

If you are looking for a quick, happy read, then check out these first two novellas in the Five Wishes series. Elise Sax packed a lot of character and exciting plots into a wonderfully small package!

*Thanks to Elise Sax for providing this book in exchange for an honest review!

Novellas are a difficult read for me unless they are based on another book's characters that I am already familiar with. With that being said, I know novellas are supposed to be short and sweet. However there were some serious flaws with these two books.

Cons:
The main character in the first book is so flighty and obnoxious. She has an important audition but completely forgets about it for pie and then a man she says has always been mean to her, but 10 pages later, he's her best friend.
Marion and Mack have conversations that I understand are meant to fill in the reader, but is completely unnatural, especially between two people who have known each other for two years.
Mack goes from completely disinterested, with hidden feelings, to suddenly overly sexual in the matter of a few minutes and it is so unbelievable.
In the second book, Raine isn't as flighty as Marion, but her obsession makes you roll your eyes.
Both books almost seem as if they were written for pre-teens, but with adult content. The language is basic, the conversations awkward, and the sex scenes rushed.
Most of the dialogue between the characters are at most three words, and they constantly repeat each other.
Ironically, the author mentions that men don't want to sleep with bones because it's gross. Well that's exactly what was given in these books, just bones. People want to read things with some meat.

Pros:
I did laugh out loud a couple of times.
With more character development, the main characters may have actually been quite pleasant and funny.
Dirk, from the second book, was the most genuine and likeable character.

The books really could have some great potential if they were developed more. It seems as if an outline was done for a book idea that could have been really great, but the desire to publish a book turned the project into half-baked short stories. I would actually love to see the author revisit these stories, rework them and give us something that is worth the time. I pushed through them, but in the end I'm glad they were free because had I paid for them, I would have been truly disappointed. I may even take a peek to see what else the author has published in the form of full novels to see if she is worth giving a second chance. If you're looking for a quick, mindless read, give it a shot, but I was left feeling unsatisified and wanting so much more.

Going Down 3 stars
Okay Story

I liked the characters but as its a short story the backstory and their personalities are limited.
As a couple they work however a little annoyingly. There are some funny moments however.
The story as a whole is quick and easy to follow. This is a read at the beach or on the train when you want to finish a story within a short time frame.

Man Candy (4 stars)
This one was hilarious and I enjoyed each moment. I loved the characters they had charisma.
All up I enjoyed this way more than the first one and it makes me want to continue on with the series.

Going Down: Can friends become lovers? Marion MacAlister wants to nail her audition but she may want to get nailed by Mack Ryan.

This book was hilarious and I loved every minute of it. The characters a well-developed and the story was very relatable. Loved it.

Man Candy: Raine Harper is in love with Wade Gates. However, Wade likes women who are thin likes models which Raine was far from. When she overworks herself to catch Wade's eye, she passed out in the arms of superstar Dirk Adams. Dirk agrees to help Raine by pretending to be her boyfriend.

This book was just as hilarious and I enjoyed this one as well. Great books Loved them.

Book 1: Going Down, Rating: 5 Hysterical Stars!!

OMG! I laughed so hard! Great big, doubled over in the floor guffaws! Amazingly witty all the way through. This is the perfect story to chase away the…damn, it’s hot!…summer time blahs!

Book 2: Man Candy Rating: 3 Stars

Not in the same class as Going Down. Not particularly funny, witty or clever, but a little entertaining.

Overall, I think the price…FREE!…is an amazing deal for Going Down. Pick up a copy just for the first story. Skip the second unless you’re bored.

Enjoy!

2shay (Review from the blog, ChezShay.online)

Two adorable romantic comedies that will make you laugh out loud.
In Going Down, an aspiring actress and a handsome restaurateur explore their friendship while trapped in a malfunctioning elevator and in Man Candy, a box office phenom on vacation offers to help the BBW whose family owns the cabins where he's staying to catch the man of her dreams.
I loved both of these feel good short stories which would be perfect for an afternoon at the beach or in front of a cozy fire.

I thoroughly enjoyed 'An Affair To Dismember', and I see no reason to change my opinions with this one. The story lines that precede the one-on-one action are well-written, funny, and SO true to life it hurts. Both stories follow a similar pattern, but why complain? It's supposed to be hot and escapist. It does exactly what it says on the tin. Enjoy.

This was a really good book with great characters. The author has a great way of writing that sucks you into her stories. There are parts that will make you laugh out loud. I've found her books to be entertaining and funny.