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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wish I Were Here was the perfect book to get me out of my reading slump. It’s a cute, light, easy-to-read story with a touch of magical realism. What made it even better was that it took place in my hometown of Pittsburgh.
The main focus of the story, losing all trace of your identity is an all too real possibility. It’s through losing her government identity that Catherine is able to find her actual identity and her true love, Luca, and family. Wish I Were Here is the perfect book to remind you to be thankful for what you have, no matter how unconventional. After all it made you who you are, the good the bad and the ugly and you can always change the ugly.
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the digital ARC of Wish I Were Here
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cute, feel good grumpy x sunshine romance. I enjoyed following Catherine’s journey of self-discovery and healing, and the slow burn between Catherine and Luca.
Thank you Forever for providing me an ARC!
What to expect:
✅ RomCom + Mystery
✅ Opposites attract
✅ Closed door
✅ STEM FMC
✅ Grumpy x Sunshine
✅ Found family
✅ Magical realism
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Sexual content
I can't explain what happened to me while reading this book, but I devoured it in one day? It was SO CUTE??
Catherine lives a strict and organized life, a no-nonsense life. And when her identity seemingly disappears from all official records, she finds herself surrounded by people who are anything but strict and organized in a journey of self-discovery as she learns who she really is in every way.
Catherine meets Luca, the charming and seemingly perfect, albeit scattered, doorman. And he becomes her partner in crime (literally) as she navigates her way through being a "nobody" for a while.
First of all, every single character in this book is so precious - the elderly residents of the DeGreco apartment building, Luca, Catherine's dad, the burlesque troupe. Literally all of them are wonderful and brought a smile to my face.
This is full of magical realism, as it is quite the mystery how someone's identity can vanish overnight without explanation. But the way the story unfolds also feels magical in its depth. And while I figured things out pretty quickly of what all was going on, it doesn't change the fact that this story was adorable and felt so poignant as Catherine dug deep to discover more about herself than she ever imagined. She discovered real joy.
Like objectively I know this isn't a perfect book, but also... it did something to me that I can't explain. It had me CONSUMED and smiling and... the EPILOGUE MADE ME CRY???
Thank you to Forever and Melissa Wiesner for the free e-ARC of this book. This review is completely my own, completely voluntary, and always completely honest.
Catherine lives a strict and organized life, a no-nonsense life. And when her identity seemingly disappears from all official records, she finds herself surrounded by people who are anything but strict and organized in a journey of self-discovery as she learns who she really is in every way.
Catherine meets Luca, the charming and seemingly perfect, albeit scattered, doorman. And he becomes her partner in crime (literally) as she navigates her way through being a "nobody" for a while.
First of all, every single character in this book is so precious - the elderly residents of the DeGreco apartment building, Luca, Catherine's dad, the burlesque troupe. Literally all of them are wonderful and brought a smile to my face.
This is full of magical realism, as it is quite the mystery how someone's identity can vanish overnight without explanation. But the way the story unfolds also feels magical in its depth. And while I figured things out pretty quickly of what all was going on, it doesn't change the fact that this story was adorable and felt so poignant as Catherine dug deep to discover more about herself than she ever imagined. She discovered real joy.
Like objectively I know this isn't a perfect book, but also... it did something to me that I can't explain. It had me CONSUMED and smiling and... the EPILOGUE MADE ME CRY???
Thank you to Forever and Melissa Wiesner for the free e-ARC of this book. This review is completely my own, completely voluntary, and always completely honest.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you to Forever Publishing, NetGalley, and the author for the gifted e-book. Thank you to Hachette Audio for the gifted audiobook.
This book was an absolute delight, blending magic realism, romance, and a beautiful message about the importance of human connection. Catherine's transformation from uptight to spontaneous was a joy to witness, and the supporting characters, especially Luca and the residents of Catherine's building, added so much depth to the story.
The narrator's performance truly brought the characters to life, making the emotional journey even more impactful. This enchanting read is a must-have for anyone looking to be swept away by a heartwarming tale.
Get ready to immerse yourself in this magical world when the book hits the shelves on October 15th!
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was so cute! It felt like a lighter version of Tia William’s magical realism romances, where everything feels like real life but there’s just a hint of magic happening behinds the scenes.
The FMC is very orderly and loves everything done according to the rules, while the MMC lives outside of the lines - but with the goal of making sure all the people in his life are looked after.
I loved the magic, the slow build up between the love interests, all the side characters, and the journey the FMC goes on to find herself.
I was provided a complimentary ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a solid magical realism with a side of romance book, it was cute and the found family was done well. I just never felt truly connected to the characters to truly fall in love with this story. It is a well written and lovely book, it isn't much of a romance as that is not really the main part of the book. Its mostly about finding yourself and the people that you want to surround yourself with. If you're wanting a quick and sweet contemporary book this is great choice though!
Thanks to Netgalley and Forever for granting me access in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and Forever for granting me access in exchange for an honest review.
A pleasant surprise- I didn't expect to cry but here we are folks. Fives all around for the plot, the tropes and cheese, the closed-door romance, the twist at the end and the silly characters with their found family. My only qualm was the lack of chemistry between the two main characters. I think everything else helped it make for a great read overall. Shoutout to my favorite bookstore in St Paul for the ARC hehehe I recommend picking up this one when it comes out in two weeks.