Wish You Were Here was unfortunately not a book for me. The heroine of the story I felt was too out of control in her thoughts and I missed the grand love between her and Adam. Their story didn't resonate with me as an epic love story after one night, the connection slipping right past me. And the placement of Seth in the story felt too contrived to the point I was upset at the end because it felt as though he had been kept on a tether while she discovered herself. These elements of the books just didn't connect with me and kept me from enjoying the story.

4 (or 4.25?) Stars

I don’t know how to talk about this book without spoiling things (you really need to go in as blind as possible), so I’m afraid my review might be brief. Suffice it to say Carlino put me through an emotional wringer that I won’t soon forget!

What Fed My Addiction:

Charlotte getting her life together.
Charlotte feels like a screw-up who just can’t seem to get life right—whether it’s work or romance or family … she just can’t seem to make everything work. Eventually, she comes to realize that a lot of her issue is just confidence, and I loved seeing her find herself and learn to take chances. The romance in this book is almost less about romance than it is about Charlotte coming to realize that she can make her way in the world—and finding a partner to do that with.

Focus on family and friends.
Charlotte’s relationship with her best friend and with her family take center stage in this book. They don’t feel like extras tacked onto the romance, but they’re a major part of Charlotte’s personal transformation. Her brother is annoying in the way that brothers are, but he grows on you as you get to know him. And Charlotte’s best friend is a true gem.

The emotional impact.
I had no idea I was going to be so profoundly moved by this book. It had me in tears and I certainly didn’t want to put it down. It’s been a while since a book has broken my heart so thoroughly.

Lots more!
There’s so much more I wish I could say, but every time I try to construct a sentence, I feel like it’s giving something away. Just trust me that there were lots of reasons to love this book!

What Left Me Hungry for More:

Instalove.
If you read my reviews regularly, you know that I have a pretty low tolerance for instalove, so the fact that I loved this book despite the instalove is pretty high praise. And, honestly, it’s not like I was blindsided by it (the blurb itself tells us that Charlotte falls for Adam after a one-night stand)—still, I couldn’t completely ignore the fact that Charlotte was so completely hung up on a guy she knew for an evening. And it was compounded a bit by the fact that Seth seemed to fall for Charlotte almost as quickly (and for no real reason that I could see—he was endlessly patient, and I wasn’t quite sure where it was all coming from). Oh, and then Charlotte’s best friend found instalove too. For the first half of the book I was somewhat hung up on all of this, but once things (I can’t talk about) started happening, I totally got over all that and just let go and enjoyed the emotional rollercoaster!

This is a book about living in the moment and finding love and happiness when and where you can. Be prepared to be sent on an emotional journey! This was the first of Carlino’s books that I’ve read, and I’ll definitely be reading more!

I went back and forth between 4 and 4.5 stars for this one, but I eventually landed on 4 (maybe 4.25?) simply because of the instalove, which felt pretty unbelievable to me in the first half of the book (until Carlino brought out the big guns and made me forget all about it—almost.)

5 Brilliant & Beautiful STARS!
Contemporary Romance/Adult Romance
ARC provided for an honest review through NetGalley/Publisher.

WOW. This book is everything! If you know me by now and follow my reviews, I am sure you see a trend in all my 5 Star reviews. Books that make me FEEL, books that force me to stand back and take a new perspective and books that stick with me for a long period of time are my absolute favorites. This is one of those books.

I’m not sure what you would call me – glutton for punishment!? – but I love when a book makes my heart dip (good & bad) and I (ugly) cry. I can’t say this enough, I love when a book makes me feel so many INTENSE emotions. Why you might ask? Well because the story and characters become real to me. The characters are so well developed, the plot flows well, the dialogue/conversation between the characters is on point and ultimately I get sucked into the story. This is a good book in my world.

Let’s talk about Wish You Were Here. This book has everything that I look for in a great book.

The characters are complex. I was able to get to know each of them and their personalities and quirks. I was able to connect, whether I liked them personally or not. I was not a huge fan of Charlotte in the beginning. She seemed oblivious to others to a certain extent. She is physically beautiful and doesn’t know it. She is so unsure of herself and because of that, isn’t living life to the fullest. I wanted to shake her and be like “Girl! Wake up! You have everything you need to be successful – be successful!”. Then enters Adam. He’s exactly what Charlotte needs to wake up. (No spoiler’s here. You have to read this book!) I will say…Adam has been forced to grow as an individual and is able to see what Charlotte is doing to herself by not reaching her full potential. I LOVED this. I loved seeing these two characters together and how they interact. You can tell that they both have a lot to learn from each other. Their chemistry…oh man…is so good!

This book is captivating and that’s because the plot and dialogue flow so well. I am a big fan of meaningful conversations. What I mean by this is that I need to be learning something about a character(s), whether that be personality, quirks or anything, through their conversations. Conversations are not fillers for a book. I HATE when conversations go on and on and on with no point to them – unless that’s the point! Ha! Because of the great dialogue, I was captivated and didn’t want to put the book down. I had to know what was going to happen next. I never once was bored or ready was to take a break.

Looking for an emotional ride that will last with you DAYS after you read it…this book is for you!

Beautiful. Absolutely, stunningly beautiful. And spectacular, and powerful, and heartbreaking... I just don't have enough adjectives to describe my feelings for this book! I've only read one other book by Renee Carlino, and I enjoyed it, but she brought everything to the table with this story. I laughed, I cried, I fell in love with these characters, and the story left me bereft (yet hopeful and happy—the hangover is real, y'all!). Wish You Were Here is a gorgeous must-read and one of my favorite books of the year!

Charlotte is like a lot of twenty-somethings these days. She's searching for her life's purpose through lackluster jobs and even worse boyfriend prospects. Her aimless wanderings steer her into the path of an enigmatic stranger who inadvertently changes the course of Charlotte's stagnant life. Nothing is the same after seeing the world through Adam's eyes.

I devoured this story in one sitting, and you could blow me over with a feather once I finished. Wish You Were Here is one of those books that you just sit and stare off into space for a while after setting it down. There is so much to appreciate and absorb and adore about the intricacies and the outcome of the journey Charlotte, Adam, their friends and their families go on thanks to Ms. Carlino's skillful storytelling.

So many passages were highlighted to reread later (when my eyes aren't so misty), and I had even planned to share some here, but I've decided that I want everyone to read this book and enjoy those passages organically and within the context of the story. No matter what I share, it would never capture the perfection of the epic love story I just experienced. Do yourself a favor and pick this book up as soon as you can. I promise you won't regret it!

Have you ever read a book that has moved you so much and means more than you can pen into words? I'm still MESMERIZED—so UNEQUIVOCALLY MOVED—by Renee Carlino's words in Wish You Were Here, a story that STUNNED ME SPEECHLESS. A story that made me melt...made me break...made me think...made me feel. Wish You Were Here made my HEART BLEED and my SOUL SOAR, and I can't stop feeling this romance.

I knew right away that this story was SPECIAL. I knew that Wish You Were Here is the kind of story that sticks, the soul-stirring type that stays long after the last page is turned. I knew this tale would hold my heart in its hands forever, and I would let it take my heart as its own because Wish You Were Here OWNED ME and MY HEART FROM THE START.

This is a romance you have to experience and wholeheartedly feel for yourself—preferably blindly—as I did. Wish You Were Here is not a story but an adventure, a romance that is so much more: love but mostly life. This story, along with its hero and heroine, is strength in spades. Wish You Were Here is a journey of love and life; happiness and heartbreak; and so much strength.

It was like we already knew each other, like we had met in a previous life.

After a magical night together, Charlotte and Adam felt the force of fate, as if they were soul mates. I MELTED from the MAGIC of this couple. I felt their SPARK too. Together, this hero and heroine were the sun amid the storm.

"Love is a wordless secret; it's an inside joke. Only the two of you have to understand it."

I lost myself in Wish You Were Here, vanishing into this life-altering story, SPELLBOUND, as it seized every part of me: body, heart, and soul. Wish You Were Here is HEARTBREAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL, a book bleeding with feels. Oh did my heart break, shattering into pieces!!! Tears flowed like a river and I didn’t try to stop them…could not stop them. I UGLY CRIED, and it was catastrophic yet cathartic. The feels flowed feverishly where I FELT EVERY WORD ON EVERY PAGE. I felt every drop of sunlight, every drop of rain, every pull of my heart, and every slay of my soul. I FELT EVERYTHING!!!

The first thing I noticed about this story besides its stunning cover is that Renee Carlino weaves her work with detail, incredible descriptors that transport you right into the story. I was immediately thrust into the world of Wish You Were Here. This is my first Renee Carlino romance but I can feel how this incredible and new favorite author of mine poured her heart, blood, sweat, and tears into a breathtakingly beautiful and brilliant book. This PERFECTLY POIGNANT LOVE STORY is one that remains for a lifetime like that epic love we all seek.

Wish You Were Here is a story that is SO MUCH MORE than a romance. Wish You Were Here is taking that leap and living life to the fullest. Wish You Were Here is love against the odds. Wish You Were Here is happiness, hope, and heartbreak in a book bathed in beautiful words.

Devastatingly beautiful, passionately poignant, and life-changing, Wish You Were Here is a book that bleeds LOVE and LIFE. You can't help but become touched by this love story and FEEL Wish You Were Here word-for-word and cover-to-cover.I'm still being touched by this romance. Tears are etched in my eyes, ones that still feel fresh from feeling so much. My HEART IS WIDE OPEN as it sits—SHATTERED yet SOARING—from this soul-searing story. Wish You Were Here is a romance I wish everyone would read. I'll forever feel this masterpiece in vibrant color.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 but worth all of the stunning stars

A TOP 2017 MUST-READ ROMANCE!!!

An ARC has been provided by Atria Books via NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest opinion

4,5 “no tissues left” stars.

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This book was so emotional that I want to write a different review...
What you’ll get is my own interview while reading the book. I think it will be the best way to convey the many emotions I went through.

- What made you request this book?
“I always wanted to read one of Renee Carlino’s books but never had the opportunity. When I learned an ARC of her latest novel was ready I read the blurb and…crossed my fingers!”

-What were the first thoughts crossing your head when you began reading?
“What have I done?” “That was my first thought as I did not love Adam at all that first night. I could not connect with him and found him too peculiar for my personal taste. Why was he acting so erratically? And why did Charlotte find his behavior acceptable?
I also thought Charlotte was a fluke. She never finished anything, was adrift in life, without solid plan or goal. I’m the polar opposite of Charlotte and I must reckon that I was judgmental.
As you can see I was really regretting my choice.”

- What was your reaction when Charlotte met Seth? Did you root for him? Understood Charlotte?
“I loved Seth but as I hate love triangle I also feared where this was headed to. As much as I did not understand Adam I still felt some kind of loyalty for him. I could also feel that Charlotte was not over Adam and she kept Seth at arm’s length. It did not help of course. On the other hand I wanted to kick Charlotte’s behind so bad as she had a perfect man pinning for her and yet she was quite standoffish. I must confess that I was no better than her family.”

- What was the tipping point for you?
“When Charlotte learned the truth about Adam. I was warming up to Charlotte and began to understand her. I even wished her to live happily ever after with Seth and then BAM! I discovered Adam’s secret and I never saw it coming.
From that moment on I had a tissue glued to my hand and running eyes.
Charlotte’s evolution impressed me. She had an inner strength I never imagined and … yes I was in awe and in tears.”

-Did this book meet your expectations? Did it surprise you? How would you describe Renee Carlino’s penmanship?
“This story surpassed my expectations. I never expected that level of emotions neither this turn of events. I did not expect to love Adam so much when I began despising him in the very beginning. I did not expect to get not only one but two perfect men in this story. I don’t know how Renee Carlino managed this high feat but she has created two exceptional heroes, different from each other but both extraordinary. Renee’s writing is astute as she slowly but surely sucked me in her story and made me fall hard for her characters.”

- Would you recommend it?
“A thousand times!”

Charlotte Martin has no idea what to do with her life. She’s languishing her days away working in a diner with her best friend. They share everything – a dead end job, an apartment and a less than desirable track record in love.

Until one night on the way home from drowning their sorrows at a local bar, Charlotte encounters a man who manages to do the impossible. He captures her heart with just one look. The night that they share changes her life forever. But in the bright light of day, he walks away and leaves her with nothing but her doubts.

She numbly goes on about her life – unsuccessfully dodging her family’s plea for her to get herself together and to finally settle down. But she can’t seem to forget the man who touched her body and painted her soul on the side of a building.

“You know when you’re looking at someone and you can’t help but smile at how oblivious they are to their own charm? That’s what was happening to me, and it was making me feel… happy. Euphoric. Something indescribable. It was like we already knew each other, like we had met in a previous life.

I smiled at him; he smiled back. There was some sort of affinity between us, but I didn’t know where it was coming from, exactly. I didn’t know this guy half an hour ago, but now I needed to know him.”

Adam Bramwell seemingly had it all. A loving family, a successful career as an attorney and more money than he could ever spend. A tragic twist of fate causes him to reevaluate exactly what he wants out of his life. He left everything behind to become an artist and he ended up finding his soulmate.

If only he could remember how to find her.

“This is crazy.”
“Just go.” He shooed me away, but he was smiling while he did it.
I couldn’t laugh even though he was trying to be funny. “What if . . .”
“What if there is a 9.0 earthquake right below us in the next minute? What if the sun explodes tomorrow? What if heaven is real? What if God is a woman? What if the moon landing was a hoax? What if Donald Trump is an alien?”
“No one really questions that last one,” I said.

Wish You Were Here took me to a place that I never expected. I thought it would be a great second chance romance to get lost in for a few hours. But what I experienced was a life changing read that shattered my heart into the smallest of pieces and then put it back together again.

It’s just another reason why our “Best of” list every year always has at least one book written by Renée on the very top. Just remember to read this one in a place where you can feel all of the emotions because it will take you under and not let up until the very end. And you’ll wonder if you will ever be same again…

The title of Renée Carlino's newest book makes you think of a pretty postcard: some sort of Chamber of Commerce photograph that makes you instantly want to be wherever this image was taken.

Yet the "wish" and the "here" are not physical places. Rather, they are emotional, psychological, and spiritual.

Charlotte, your heroine who tells you this beautiful story, does not know where she is. At all. She has tried several careers and currently works as a waitress in a place whose best feature is a bottomless bowl of tortilla soup. She's trying cosmetology and failing, a somewhat symbolic attempt to prettify the blandness encompassing her. She lacks - and dearly needs - color, or at least color aside from her childhood best friend and roommate Helen.

When Charlotte stumbles into Adam one night, she discovers that missing color. He brightens everything for her. Champagne tastes better. Chinese takeout contains more flavors. Sex ignites a prism of passion. They share the sort of night and connection that you dream about having. For the first time, Charlotte feels present in her own life. And then the next morning, it's over. Adam kicks her out.

The problem with experiencing color is that you spend the ensuing days and weeks and months wishing that it were here with you now. Charlotte meets Seth, a sweet and attractive baseball player, and he begins to bring color back. He begins to make Charlotte feel present again,

But Adam. Those hours she spent with him are an amorphous, misty place to which she wants to return. She wants to be there, and she wishes she were. Charlotte is self-aware enough to know that she can't commit to Seth until she has closure with Adam. That path to closure, though, will take her places she cannot possibly anticipate.

Carlino uses a sailing motif to underscore how the places where we wish people would be change over time. What you need today may not be what you need tomorrow. You change. Your desires change. What completes you changes.

And that soul mate who helps you fully realize who you are? That friend you thought was your person? Those can change, too. Sometimes they have to change.

This book made me cry copious tears. It made me think about connections. Carlino made me remember my close friendships from college and my twenties and how those women (who are still my best friends) and I had to adjust our relationships when we met our romantic partners. Carlino also made me think about my parents and how their relationship affects my marriage. She made me think about my relationship with my brother. (To some regard, Charlotte's relationship with Chuck is the defining one of her life. It is also HILARIOUS.)

Renée Carlino is one of my favorite authors. Her books are automatic one-clicks for me, and Wish You Were Here is a gorgeously written, emotionally affecting, testament to why I adore how she tells a story.

Wish You Were Here by Renee Carlino
5 stars!!!

“How long have we been in love?”

Wish You Were Here will be on my 2017 favourites shelf at the end of the year, without a doubt. There was so much about this book that I fell in love with and Renee Carlino has proven once again that she never fails to deliver. Wish You Were Here was simply stunning, a breath-taking story about love and loss, soul mates and lightening striking twice. This story was incredibly moving, extremely poignant and just an awe-inspiring piece of writing from the very beginning.

“Do you believe in soul mates, Charlotte?”
“I think so…”
“Do you want to know what I think?”
“What?”
“I think we have soul mates, but I think we can have more than one…”

Many, many tears were shed reading this book, the prose incredibly moving and Renee Carlino extracted all those emotions with effortless ease. The character connection was on point, the dialogue was simply perfect and the humour interspersed with emotional prose was the perfect balance. Renee Carlino captured her characters perfectly and brought them to life over the pages to the point where you become the voyeur looking in. I felt that I was an innocent bystander watching the lives of these characters play out before my eyes and it is that connection that makes this book all the more consuming.

I don’t want to go into the plot at all as I do not want to spoil it for anyone and this is one book that you need to read as the author intended. This is a book all about the journey and you need to experience this one word for word and let Renee Carlino’s flawless writing envelope and consume you as much as it did me.

Charlotte was flighty by nature, in her late twenties, starting and abandoning many university courses and never having found her purpose in life, she is a little lost. Men are not top of her priority list either, many failed relationships have led to her being extremely jaded and second guessing her ability to be loved. One night she meets Adam, and totally out of character has a one-night stand she will never forget. They had a connection, one she has never felt before and one she fears she will never feel again.

“That’s what happens when you live it well, right? When you have someone to love? It goes by fast. You blink and it’s over.”

Adam is a character that will remain with me for a very, very long time and that is all I am going to say about our lawyer/artist. Other than he was simply adorable on so many levels. The growth in Charlotte throughout this book was amazing. In the beginning, she was a little hard to warm up to, but as she grew, so did my feelings towards her. Charlotte’s heart shone throughout this book and it is her selflessness that ingratiates her to the reader.

“Because I don’t want you to stop asking.”

This book was simply stunning, it took turns I never saw coming and some that I did. As I said above, flawlessly written, emotional, poignant and one heck of a fantastic read. Simply adored it.

“…you were my one.”

www.theromancecover.com

My 4.5+ star review is posted on Goodreads and linked below. It will be posted on blog and social media on blog tour upon release and links will be updated below. UPDATED 8/16/17

4.5+ stars
Bren spent an amazing night with Mason and heir chemistry and connection was enough to send her running scared. While Mason was shocked and disappointed that she ghosted him and had no way of finding her.

But when he least expects it she shows up on his gynecological exam table for a pregnancy test and there is no place for her to run.

Bren is independent, guarded, and emotionally closed off. She's not looking for love, has commitment and abandonment issues, and is afraid of getting hurt. The whole idea of being pregnant from a one-night-stand has her even more anxious and skittish. Mason is kind, steady, and looking for real love and a future.

A commitment phobe woman + a man looking for his soul mate + a possible baby on the way = a delicate situation.

Mason is tempting, charming, sexy, and hard to resist. He is determined to get the girl, and the baby if there is one. He's just got to catch her first and convince he that it could be good...not terrifying. I adored Mason. He was the ultimate good guy who would do anything for the woman he wants. He was much more open and in tune with his feelings. Bren was a bit frustrating with her avoidance, but I could also understand where her fears came from. But she did not make anything easy.

This was funny, passionate, sweet, heartwarming, and just a bit angsty. They had some challenges to face that were unexpected after a one-nighter. I had a few questions about some plot points, but there were some surprises and it was not predictable. It was told in both points of view. I liked the side characters of his partner, Trent, and her boss, Mandy. I enjoyed the plot of this one and how it progressed. I think this might be my favorite story of this series.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another new to me author and I couldn't have been more happy to have been chosen to read and review this book from NetGalley! This was fantastic! I started it shortly after I woke up on Sunday August 13th and finished it in the very early hours (think 12-1am) on Monday August 14th. Y'all, I didn't want to put this book down, and in fact, I think I only did so for about 3 hours to fully recharge my kindle! It was absolutely magnificent. This book knocked the breath out of me and took every single tear that was in my body. There were so many wonderful things that happened between the covers (or in the pages) of this book! Go on and dive head first in this book. You won't be disappointed.

This book… oh goodness, I wanted to love it so badly, I was mainly attracted to it because of the cover, it is absolutely beautiful and I’m a sucker for pretty covers, and the fact that it was written by Renée Carlino, who wrote the very hyped Swear On This Life so I was very excited to read this book until I started reading it, Wish You Were Here floats around “love at first sight” or “instant love” which I’m really not a big fan of, but I was a good sport and pushed through that and kept reading because maybe I’d love this book despite the instant love.

This book tells the story of Charlotte a young adult living in Los Angeles with her best friend working as a waitress, she jumped from career to career, never finishing college and never finding real love but it all changes when she meets Adam, Adam and Charlotte have an instant connection when they meet, which ends in a night that seemed to be pulled out of the most romantic dream, but when Charlotte wakes up the next morning she’s surprised to find Adam distant, mad and kicking her out of his apartment. At first Charlotte is hurt and confused but she has to move on, it was only a night… but what if she can’t forget Adam? In the end that night was the most romantic ever.

I think there are two main reasons that stopped me from loving this book: first of all. Instant love, as I said, I’m not a fan of it and second of all, Charlotte… Her character is written beautifully, as the whole book is, but I didn’t like her personality, I just couldn’t deal with her. The story itself is nice, it’s not my cup of tea but I know a lot of people might like it since it’s so swoony, dream-like and utterly… I guess romantic, in my eyes, I didn’t find it romantic, but the official genre of this book is romance, so there’s that. But if there one thing I absolutely loved about this book, was Seth, Seth is the cutest guy ever and honestly? I think he deserved better than what Charlotte put him through, I think if this was a story just about Charlotte and Seth, I would’ve loved this book.

To wrap it all up, I didn’t really like this book, but I know a lot of people did because it’s a good book, it’s well written and well-developed, it’s just not the kind of story I’d personally go for. I loved Seth so much my heart hurt, he’s just the sweetest, nicest, most caring guy ever. This book is worth a shot, don’t just rule it out because I didn’t like it, it might be your new favorite book.

WOW! Now that was an emotional rollercoaster ride. I had so many strong feelings when reading this book that it is impossible to deny what an amazing writer Renee Carlino is. My emotions were all over the place when reading. At times I was in love with these flawed characters and at times I wanted to smack some sense into them But the moral is I was constantly feeling something. A sign of a great book.

I can’t go into great plot detail because . . .  spoilers, but this book hurt in that way that makes you feel alive. I wasn’t always happy with where it went and I was often quite mad at the protagonist, Charlotte, and her self-centered ways but ultimately I wanted to see where she would end up. For me while there is a heavy romance aspect, that did get sexy at times, this almost read like women’s fiction. While the romance was a driving force in the plot, the real story was Charlotte’s self discovery and her finally learning to let go and love herself and love life.

Wish You Were Here is a powerful story but be prepared . . .  tissues are a necessity and try not to question to much, just go along for the ride.
~miranda

What an Emotional Ride!

To say this book isn't what I expected would be putting it mildly. I went from not really liking Charlotte all that much, to wishing I was as strong of a person as she turned out to be. Renee Carlino not only gives her readers a great book, but something to ponder when it's all said and done. What would you do if put into Charlotte's situation?

I have nothing highlighted as I was absolutely entranced by this story and guessing how it was going to play out. This was a "can't put it down" book for me and I'm sure will be for others as well. The characters draw you in and make you want to know what is happening with them page after page.

Charlotte is on an adventure of a lifetime and I am glad I got to read about it. Wish You Were Here is well written from her point of view, with others having a say every so often. Along with Adam and Charlotte, we get a handful of interesting characters to help this quirky love story along. I am also very appreciative of an epilogue in a book like this, helping to bring it full circle.

Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.

Every once in a while I’ll read a book that just leaves an imprint on my heart. Wish You Were Here is one of those books. I don’t care where you are in your life-your twenties like main character Charlotte or your 50s like me-this book will speak to anyone who has ever taken a breath. It’s about living and loving and being grateful for the people in your life. Most importantly, it’s about finding confidence in who you are and allowing yourself to believe it when someone tells you how wonderful you are.

I couldn’t stop smiling as I read Wish You Were Here. Renee Carlino’s characters are incredibly engaging from Charlotte to Charlotte’s mom. I saw each one as someone I could easily find in my life. Even as I was connecting with Charlotte as someone who is just like me, I was looking at her parents and their obvious love for each other and their children and thinking “that’s me and my husband!”. I even recognized my children in Charlotte and Chucky’s relationship, especially in their awful pet names for each other. How can I not love a book that’s just so personal?

At the heart of this story are the relationships Charlotte has with the people in her life and two men that she meets. Both Adam and Seth play important parts in her story as they help her learn to live outside of the tight little box she’s put herself in. Charlotte’s been bouncing from thing to thing, not to find her way, but to avoid doing so. She’s got a degree in nutrition, a license to practice massage therapy, and she’s thinking about cosmetology school, all while working as a waitress. Her dating history is as quirky as her job list and proof that she’s just skimming by, letting life happen to her. Unless your superpower is being incredibly focused, there isn’t anyone who can’t relate to Charlotte.

It’s always the books I love the most that are the hardest for me to review and it’s hard to talk about Wish You Were Here without giving away spoilers. Just know that Charlotte’s journey from start to finish is familiar, funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking. You won’t be able to resist falling for both Adam and Seth, two men who bring light and love to Charlotte’s life, changing it forever. And, you won’t be able to forget this book.

5++++++++++ Shining Stars for Wish You Were Here!!!

Gosh y'all, I know that my review will not do this book justice!!! This book was spectacular!!! It gave me the freaking feels......the goose bumps.....the Everrryyything!!!

This review will be another confession from me. This is my first Renee Carlino book!!! I know...I am soo dumb not reading her books as of yet...What tha heck Tricia Bartley!!! But I will tell you that I am sooo happy this was my first read by her and it will definitely not be my last read by Carlino. She will have a new stalker...lol

Soo this book is about Charlotte. She is a carefree kind of girl. She really hasn't found her niche in life. She lives with her BFF Helen, which is a fun and crazzzy girl. These two together made me laugh my ass off at times. The friendship was sooo much fun!! One night on the town with these two girls...they run into a boy named Adam, he is a bit lost, he mentions he is new to town. So Charlotte decides to show him around, they go out for a drink, have some fun and she decides to stay the night. It was a wonderful evening of romance, eating Chinese, drinking champagne, telling stories and a bit of role-playing. But....when Charlotte wakes up the next morning, Adam kind of blows her off, gives her the cold shoulder, this made Charlotte hurt and she wondered what happened to make him be this way towards her after such a fun night. She leaves and she goes on with her quirky life, but she never forgets about Adam, he is always on her mind.

I am ending my 5 Star review right here. This is where I say that you will have to pick up this wonderful book and find out where Charlotte goes from there, does she ever get to see Adam again?Does she get to find out why he gave her the cold shoulder that night? Gooo one click this book and get your answers ladies and fall in love with this book like I did!!! : )

I've always been a fan of Renee Carlino and when I saw the cover of this book, I knew that I had to read it. I had no idea, though, that this would be an emotional book that would really pull at my heartstrings.

Charlotte has settled into the routine of living with her best friend, dating different guys, and working at the diner. So when one night with Adam turns her world upside down, Charlotte knows that Adam is different. But in the morning, Adam gives her the cold shoulder and makes Charlotte even more self-conscious and inadequate than before. Months later, Charlotte finally decides to track down Adam and find out the real reason why he pushed her away. What she discovers can change the course of her and Adam's lives more than she could have ever thought.

Starting out this book, I found it really hard to care about. Adam was so flighty and into-the-moment and I really don't like characters or relationships like that. But, as that one night together ended and we got to see how broken Charlotte felt because of it, I really started to like the book. Charlotte's character was so relatable and I loved how her relationships and feelings towards those relationships were so realistic. She met a guy that was perfect on paper, but couldn't put herself all in because of her feelings over that night with Adam and her growing insecurities about herself. It wasn't easy for her to put herself out there, which I really appreciated.

Let's be honest, though. The real reason why I loved this book was because of what happened when Charlotte decided to try and find Adam again. I'm not going to spoil anything, but gosh darn it did this book touch my heart. And I absolutely loved how important all of Charlotte's family members were in her life and how their dynamics changed as Charlotte felt herself changing because of her time with Adam. I loved her brother and her best friend and how everyone really truly cared for her.

All I can say is you better have some tissues on hand when you're reading this book. This takes a real, raw look at what it means to love and really put yourself out there for a relationship. Charlotte has nothing figured out in her life and I admired how she finally tried to take charge and find her own happiness.

Wish You Were Here was a very emotional story, filled with love and hope, and beautifully written characters.

Story:
Charlotte has never felt ready to settle down, not with a man, not with her education, and not with a job. She was quite lost for a while, until she met Adam for one magical night of getting to know him, and feeling both loved and beautiful. Even if he was acting strangely. Afterwards, it took her a long way to get her self confidence back, in spite of the fact that meeting Seth was nice. Still, Adam was on her mind, and through some fateful circumstances, they met again. Only for her to understand that Adam hadn’t left his loft because he had moved on to bigger and better things.

Characters:
Charlotte was quite lost, as I said. She didn’t have a plan, and no real direction. Helen, Charlotte’s best friend was different, more spontaneous and seemingly happier. Adam was a whimsical artist, grabbing on to life with both hands, living every day to the fullest. Seth a baseball hope who set his eyes on Charlotte through a dating app. Then, there were Charles, Charlotte’s brother, as well as her parents, and Rodney, Helen’s boyfriend.

Writing style :
First person, past tense, written from Charlotte’s perspective. Wish You Were Here managed to include all of the emotions, experiences and doubts she experienced. Thanks to dialogues, I also got to know the other characters well enough both to care about them, and want them to find happiness.

Feels :
All the feels in the world in Wish You Were Here! I cried so hard I sobbed. I also laughed out loud. I felt light in some moments, and heavy-hearted in others. There was so much love and hope, and the story was truly beautiful.

“It doesn’t always feel like this, it doesn’t always feel easy or right, so when it does feel this way, you have to seize it. Love is a wordless secret; it’s an inside joke. Only the two of you have to understand it.”

So this is what slow burn book love feels like. Days after finishing this book, I’ve found the impact of this gorgeous story flourishing. I loved it when I finished it but time has etched the poignancy of the message. Beautifully crafted, this is a book with heart and soul. It’s a beyond a mere romance. It’s about personal growth and the life altering fusing of soul mates, and yes they come in many forms. This story reminded me that in life, things have a way of working out the way they should– but we must be brave. After all, falling is love risky and when it happens, you can’t stop it. The story is also a reminder that love is messy and confusing.

Renee Carlino is an ace at creating characters that are endearing. Her heroines simply call to me and I feel like there are pieces that mirror me at various times of my life. Charlotte is a character with many nuances. She complex in that while she can be fickle, she is most assuredly steadfast. When we meet her we quickly understand that she has a tattered history of relationships and yet her sense of adventure is strong. But the insecurities hold her back are so easily amplified. The story takes off with her impromptu and fated meeting of Adam. One night leads to months of self-doubt. But into her life comes a dear man in Seth and she’s clearly not ready for him. Charlotte is very much a work in progress and when transformation comes it hits her hard.

Some might construe this as a love triangle but I don’t see it that way. Carlino plots it perfectly so the relationships that our quirky and endearing heroine Charlotte has with Adam and Seth are different, but no less great. Adam is perplexing and Charlotte just can’t shake the story they began creating together and a reckoning is imminent. Admittedly I felt conflicted with how Charlotte feels about Seth. He’s just so genuine and warm and perhaps he’s not Mr. Right for now, but he is most assuredly a Mr. Right. My heart ached for her as she speculated her decisions but I do love how she is unapologetic and she does seize the day. She’s not mean or anything but sometimes her inner voice made me flinch. It’s hard to deny that she deserves what she makes with Adam but It all comes back to timing. I’ll just say that the joy she feels with him is beautiful but not unparalleled.

“I think we have soul mates, but I think we can have more than one, just like we can have more than one career, or more than one hobby, or more than one fucking favorite food. Different people connect to different parts of our souls.”

This story ended PERFECTLY. Of course I would have loved more but I enjoyed the promise of what became of Charlotte’s life. This complicated story of hope, love, and renewal is an absolute must read, one that I accomplished in one sitting. Not surprising this left me with yet another acute book hangover courtesy of Renee Carlino. 5++ Stars and a must read recommendation!