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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was an ARC read. This story was a nice read if not fluff. It represents trauma responses and to parental neglect well and Catherine’s character is developed well. The side characters are quite 2 dimensional and that includes the love interest. Even though there was a romance plot it really was secondary to her personal growth.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-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
More than a love story, this was really a story about Catherine figuring "stuff" out. When Catherine goes to new faculty orientation, she learns she essentially doesn't exist due to paperwork issues. This sets her on a quest to find out the truth with her building's doorman. From here, the story was quite unexpected, and there were lots of realizations from Catherine along the way. It was a sweet, feel-good story with some magic baked in, too.
She's over-the-top organized.
She finds out her identity is erased when she shows up for orientation at her new job, her first college professor position. She's set to lose it all, except the doorman at her building steps in to help.
She's supposed to learn that life is about people and not work.
She's meets her absentee mom, who basically would be her in the future - except her mom is a Doctor.
She realizes she's got it all wrong and she should be with the doorman, who puts others in before himself.
Also, she sees ghosts in the building - including the doorman's grandpa.
medium-paced
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was a fan of the author's past work, The Second Chance Year, which similar to Wish I Were Here takes a seemingly innocuous go-getter lead who ends up confronting one tiny little environmental twist that takes the reader on an entire "what-if" journey of one's life. The story felt slow to get off the ground but as details emerge on Catherine's identity and the search to discover herself with the help of Luca, her building doorman, things pick up and remain engaging throughout. And towards the end, the book ties together well little crumbs and tidbits sprinkled throughout.
s/o NetGalley for the ARC
s/o NetGalley for the ARC
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes