A fun, interesting book but I couldn't stand the main character, seemingly more of a 20 year old than a 40 year old. Decently written, but the humor falls a little flat. A good first book.

Being a painter was like being a domesticated dog. I’d give birth to a litter, only to watch the pups be given away to neighbors, or total strangers. I’d never see them again.

Never seeing her beautiful babies (art) is bad enough, but when one is a nude self-portrait, things get messy fast. Savannah Waters loses her ex to a drug overdose, and certainly his family and friends blame her. She didn’t break his heart, she pulverized it, she may as well be a murderer. His mother takes ownership of her self-potrait and sells it to a wealthy buyer (for far more than she herself has ever earned on her own sales) on the Isle de Brêhat. She is going to get it back!

Her life is running away from her, and her cousin is going to form an intervention. It’s time to stop drinking, gather herself in, go see a therapist. Here comes more trouble! A professional line will be crossed when the sexy older doctor (Jake) offers her the trip of a lifetime, biking on his Harley through the Alps. What could go wrong? The chemistry is undeniable, and maybe there are signs that give her pause, but that’s the old her. Maybe it’s time to give love a real chance. Why not run around Europe, eating heavenly food, having a passionate love affair- it’s better than her currently stale state in life. But little does she know there will be a group of mad people joining them. Jake really takes his profession seriously, maybe too seriously. Who the hell is Natasha and just why does she need him so desperately? Why are there people in the group seeing people who aren’t there, terrified of aliens, of all manner of things? Why are these odd folks slowly becoming more interesting to her than Jake?

Just what is his story anyway, Jake the professional stonewalling therapist, giving nothing of his inner emotions away. Does he have secrets? Does it matter when his touch takes her to such pleasures that her mind goes numb? Who the hell has her painting? Maybe in the midst of madness she will find an anchor, and return to sanity herself?

This novel is such a strange mix, it’s a messy journey. Savannah isn’t really a killer, but she feels like one. She is a sinking stone, rash in her decision making, but hungry for life in spite of her hard luck. It’s sort of a romance (but not entirely) because how romantic is a hot affair surrounded by oddballs? Curious what this author will write next. Imagine a woman blindfolded, sort of just meandering after a shock to her system (the loss of her ex) waking up and trying to put herself back together. What better place to heal than Europe?

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Started strong but fizzled out by the end. The Dr/Boyfriend was just very puzzling. I laughed a lot along the way though. I thought the main character was very amusing and would like to read more of her bizarre adventures!

I have no idea how to classify what I just read...and while that sounds like a negative, it really isn't. I couldn't STOP reading it. I had to know what was happening, where it was going, how it would all play out. This is the story of 40 year old artist Savannah. Her ex-boyfriend kills himself, and his family blames her. She takes up with a therapist to help her sort some things out, and ends up in a quasi-relationship with him. Against her intuition, she travels to Europe with him, and a motley crew of some seriously psychologically challenged people. It is an intriguing read in it's own very quirky way.

Great story with the perfect mix of adventure and romance!

Wish I Were Here by Erin Lavan is a short novel in which the main character, Savannah Waters, finds herself in a roller coaster of a journey. Savannah is a painter who around the time of her 40-year-old birthday finds out that her ex-boyfriend has died. This ex had a self-portrait of her naked, which she wants back, but it has already been sold. She has a breakdown of sorts, landing her in jail, ending up with her going to a psychiatrist. Her and the psychiatrist have this weird relationship which leads Savannah in combination with a whole bunch of weird characters to be part of a motorcycle trip through Europe.
Once the actual trip begins and the weird cast of characters gets introduced; they are all rich, in their late 30’s and over, and mostly being treated by the psychiatrist, it gets a little confusing. It becomes like a weird acid trip. There’s aliens, WWII theories, prescription drugs, and weird sexual tension.

I struggled to get into this book, and I think it's because all the experiences with the main character Savannah, aren't experiences that I've ever had experiences either myself.