Will she be able to overcome her uneasiness and learn to bravely face the reality of her messy life?

“Finding your “better self”. At least, that’s what it means to me. Obviously, freedom is something I lack as I spend my days and nights anxiety-locked inside Great Fitness.”

This book sounded like a Women’s Fiction because it focused on a woman’s life experience dealing with her anxiety. The book was enjoyable still, following Kat’s journey of growth as she learned to cope up with her anxiety relating to her different traumas. I found it interesting and at the same time heartbreaking. This book actually explored how people deal with their mental health in different ways – either healthily or the opposite. So, knowing that the female protagonist had ended up with a life full of misfortunes, I was rooting for her to find herself with a happy ending.

This is a very creative story that was a fun read with sardonic humor and a look at how debilitating anxiety can be. How long can a person live in their local gym? After awhile I was so invested in this story I couldn’t help but stick with it to see how the ending would play out. Can’t believe this was a debut book. I look forward to reading more by this author.

⚜My Summary:
📚 This was an interesting read by Ellie Center. The main focus on this book was Katherine Noad. A woman struggling with anxiety. Kat found herself trapped at the gym when she was hit with two life changes 1. She was fired from her job and 2. She was dumped by her boyfriend of 5 years! That night Katherine found leaving the gym hard because she would be forced to have to face the reality of everything. I have to admit that this book brought me alot of awareness and understanding of anxiety. Howsoever I didn't find it funny and it was struggling in the romance department. The author claims that it's a laugh out loud and heart warming comedy. But sadly the romance was little to none and appeared at the very end. I'm sure that people that struggle with anxiety would really enjoy it because they would be able to relate.

⚜Likes/Dislikes

📚I like that she created awareness for anxiety and how people struggle with it.

Dislikes
To slow, lack of what was promised (comedy and romance)

⚜Would I recommend?

📚Yes, to people that struggle with anxiety and also to spread awareness for anxiety.

⚜Can everyone read this book?

📚No

Not the book I was expecting! I had a hard time with this one, as I thought it'd be a light-hearted romcom, but every time I reached for it, I found myself slipping into a book slump after only a few pages of reading.

After 29% I pretty much just started skimming to find out what happens in the story, as the main character is in a depressing funk after being fired and dumped, both over the phone while she's at a new fitness gym.

Kat clearly has depression/anxiety issues, which I completely sympathize with as I suffer from the same things, but there was very little humor throughout the story, no romantic interest, and I found myself more concerned by the end on whether or not she'd truly get the help she needs.

By the "for fans of" references in the summary, I was expecting a little bit of heartbreak with the story, but this was just too much of a downer for my romcom loving heart. I also felt like the character kept trying to justify her actions, but never reached a good place mentally, so it was a moot point.

I enjoyed the writing, but the story itself left a lot to be desired, especially with the page length, I feel like there could've been more resolution made. I might just be a touch bitter that I expected a light-hearted romcom, but came out wanting to take the main character to therapy.

Come Here Often by Ellie Carter is a hard book to review, despite its easiness to read. I strongly feel like this is miscategorised. This book is promoted as a rom-com, but this must have been super subtle because I missed that part! The story focuses more on Kay (the main character) and her mental health. It gives the reader insight into her mind, as it is told from her perspective only, and there are some comical moments, but a Rom-Com? Not for me.

If I review this as a general fiction book, I will give it four stars, as the plot is interesting and flows well, with some surprises along the way. The writing style is simple yet effective, especially when considering Kay's anxiety. The author deals with this in a sensitive yet relatable manner.

However, I can not ignore or excuse that I was expecting something completely different from the synopsis and marketing of the book, which brought my final rating down to three stars, which is a shame. Perhaps the marketing team could look into this in the future, as I am confident this would be more appealing to a broader range of readers if they made the genre amendments.

from Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4732761320

A great premise poorly executed, Come Here Often? by Ellie Center, unfortunately, didn't deliver the goods. Being marketed as a romantic comedy is the first cause of Come Here Often?'s downfall. There were no funny bits and even less gym-based romance. The second and third points of no return were the vast array of underdeveloped plot points (custody-battle-cum-kidnapping, famous news anchor suffering from anxiety, John Mayer concert?) and a host of unlikeable, morally grey characters. No laughs, no romance, and too much Jake Gyllenhaal.

2.5 stars
Well this was a confusing read. Why, you may ask? While expecting a romantic comedy (between the blurb and cover art) but reading page after page of this poor woman's real time panic and anxiety attack and being stuck at the gym with no end in sight. Maybe if I had been prepared for that, the read might have gone more smoothly but I felt guilty to stop but struggling to finish. I need prep for such a drastic curve especially  after going through a personal problem and being in desperate need of an easy and light escape. Was in the wrong frame of mind for this one but thanks for the opportunity Netgalley.

I received an advanced copy through NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are truthful and my own.

This book had a great premise and i was excited to read it. However, not only was it incorrectly marketed - this is not a romance novel and will seriously suffer from people thinking they are reading one thing when they are getting something else - but it wasn't very interesting.

It has so much promise at the start - the Main Character Kat is at her new gym for the first time when she gets both fired and dumped over the phone. This leads to an anxiety attack that prevents her from leaving the fitness center for over a week.

That's it. That's the whole book. Kat does not grow as a person, even after being told be every single person in her life exactly how her behavior affects them. She just feels bad, but proceeds to do nothing about it. The Fitness Center conveniently has everything she needs - stores, restaurants, you name it - so she doesn't even need to be smart or resourceful to stay there. Even though she's now unemployed, her ex has graciously agreed to continue paying bills for months so she doesn't have to worry about money. She's not even clever enough to evade security cameras - this place JUST DOESN'T HAVE ANY, just a single person that walks around and is bad at their job. If you suffer from any kind of anxiety yourself you will not enjoy this book - at no point will Kat do the right thing or the smart thing.

I feel bad writing such a negative review, but I truly struggled with this book. I read it to the end thinking that at some point, it would turn around and Kat would put in any amount of work or self realization to make it worth it, but even with an 'exciting' event that gets her out of the gym, I was so irritated by this woman that truly needed far more psychological intervention than the epilogue suggests she ever received. Honestly if this was not marketed as a Rom Com, or Feel Good Funny, or Heartwarming, I probably would rate it higher but it feels like a bait and switch.

This was such a fun book to read. Though anxiety is not funny by any means, especially for the person experiencing it, Kat had me laughing out loud when reading about her situation she was in. I found myself cringing at the same time because I almost felt guilty for finding it all so funny. I can’t picture this happening to anyone in real life, but yet… We read in the authors note that similar things have happened! The characters are definitely what makes this book so delightful. There are some colorful and quirky ones, as well as some well known famous ones! None are as great as Kat though. I truly laughed so hard a few times, I couldn’t help it. A bit corny, but you know that going in. Perfect read for when you want something light and fun. Fans of Kristen Bailey will love this one!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Come Here Often? by Ellie Center is an absolutely hilarious and heartwarming romantic comedy. The story revolves around Kat, who has been living out of her local gym. When her boyfriend dumps her and she has nowhere to go, she decides to live in her gym full-time. It's not as bad as it sounds. Her gym includes massages, organic drinks, and exercise classes. But what will happen when she meets a cute personal trainer?

Here is a hilarious excerpt from Chapter 1:

"To sweat or not to sweat. That is the question.
I’m standing in front of Great Fitness, one of Nashville’s most upscale health clubs. It’s a two-story building with a brown brick façade, massive Greek-style columns adorning the entrance, and big reflective windows. 1609 Greenview Drive. I’m at the right address for sure, but it feels like I’m in the wrong place. Story of my life.
I’ve never been one to exercise, God knows. Lifting glasses filled with vodka and ginger beer is about as aerobic as I get, and with this hangover crushing the space between my temples, I’m not certain I can muster the energy to even tie my running shoes. But here I am. Ready. Set. Go… home?"

Overall, Come Here Often? is a lovely rom-com that will appeal to fans of The Soulmate Equation and The Flat-Share. One highlight of this book is how funny is. There were many laugh-out-loud moments. Another highlight of this book is the plot. I thought it was so original. I loved watching to see how Kat hides that she's living at the gym from everyone around her. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of rom-coms in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book, which is available now!

This was simply not a win for me. I didn't even make it 25%. It was labeled as a laugh out loud rom com and that was not that at all. I had a very hard time enjoying the little bit I did read. I had hopes. I really wanted to like it. I just simply did not.

Thank you Bookoutoure for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I thought that this book would be a cutesy rom-com and based on a gym scenery but once I read it, it was far from that. This book is labelled as a rom-com and I didn't get a lot of that from what I am expecting to be and especially the cover since it was cute.

It's about Kat struggling with her anxiety and mental health after her life went downhill from getting fired from her job and got broken up with her bf by phone. There are also a lot of trigger warnings in here that I didn't expect, so make sure to read them if you are planning to read this book.

Thank you Netgalley and to the publisher for this ARC !!

Thank you NetGalley and Ellie Center for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

How do I start? I really enjoyed the beginning of the book but it got bad really quick.
I make it a point to not read reviews because I want an unbiased take on the book but a couple chapters in I had to look up how others are taking this. And I'm glad I did.
I did not like the representation of anxiety here, at all. Yes, anxiety inhibits you from being what you are or reach your potential but that is no excuse for you to blame EVERYTHING and get away with ANYTHING. At the end of the day you still have a responsibility.

I thought this would be a rom-com, my favourites, but it was a just a book that was a little too long for my liking, with a plot that did not make sense to me.

I tried getting this over with just so I'm not put into a reading slump.

I hate to say this, but I didn't like this book one bit. I started reading with the impression that it's going to be a funny, laugh-out-loud romance and it was anything but. The blurb and the cover of the book were highly misleading and I didn't enjoy the execution of the story. It was repetitive and senstitive topics, such as anxiety and compulsive behaviour weren't handled very well.

I guess I appreciated the choice of words and the structure of the writing itself. It would have been a page turner, if it wasn't for the lacking story.

Kat has anxiety issues, and on the day she loses her boyfriend and her job, she just happens to be at the gym. it is her first day there and suddenly she can't leave - her anxiety is keeping her there and she doesn't know who to turn to for help.
A great read which deals with some serious issues.

I went into this thinking I would feel the same as the rest of the people who read and reviewed this book, but instead I found myself not wanting to put this book down and truly invested in Kat’s daily struggles and adventures. That’s what this book felt like, a never ending struggle bus through the adventures of living at a gym.

This is 100% not a romance book. I think going into this knowing I wasn’t to expect a cheesy rom-com helped. Instead I was reading of the struggles of anxiety and mental health and even domestic violence. There didn’t seem to be a dull moment. Whether you’re feeling angry at Kat, or embarrassed for Kat, hopeful for Kat, or even sad for Kat, you’re going to feel something throughout the entire story. I loved this.

I switched between arc kindle and audio book versions thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture!

Starting this book, I expected a lighter romcom. However, what I expected and what I read were two very different things. I feel the book’s blurb was misleading, especially the comparison to other authors. Being a mood reader, it’s hard to expect one thing and get another.

Come Here Often is the story of Kat, who finds herself jobless and single on the one day she started to work out. Following the panic attack induced by these events and her overwhelming anxiety, she finds herself stuck in the gym—as in, she can’t find it in herself to leave.

I found myself concerned about the MC’s mental health issues rather than laughing at her antics. I feel that Kat still had a long journey ahead of her. The rushed ending left me wanting more.

This is definitely not a read I would recommend if you’re in the market for a romcom; instead, this book might be a good choice for those wanting to, and ready to, read about someone’s journey with anxiety and panic attacks following particularly negative events in her life.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a free ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I feel like I read an entirely different book from what was pitched. This is not a ‘laugh out loud and heartwarming romantic comedy’ in my opinion. It is a book about a woman with incredibly severe and debilitating anxiety issues, and how they have taken over her life.

Kat refers to her anxiety as Big A. And she refers to it a lot. Like, *a lot* a lot. Which would be understandable if this were billed as a fiction book about dealing - or not dealing - with anxiety.

Instead of laughing out loud at antics like I expected, I was more concerned for the MC than anything. She does not need a new man - or to get her old one back - she needs a better therapist. Or at least one she’ll go to see. Which she would need to be able to leave the (unrealistically all-inclusive) fitness club in order to do. But the whole reason she’s living in the gym is because every time she tries to go through the exit she is frozen in a panic attack. The fact Kat didn’t feel there was anyone she could go to for help with this made me sad for her. I also thought the resolution at the end was a little too much ‘magically better’ than actually having worked through things.

As some one who also deals with anxiety, I generally enjoy good mental health rep in fiction but this one missed the mark for me.

(Arc from NetGalley/Bookouture)

This book and its description had so much promise. I was expecting a funny book about a woman living in a gym to help herself cope after suffering personal misfortunes. There was even a promised romance. While parts of the book were funny, overall it was a depressing monologue about the main character Kat Noad's crippling anxiety. Getting personal with her personal trainer Marcus only involved one kiss. Yet by the end of the book, her anxiety is miraculously cured and she seemingly lives happily ever after. I just think the story could have used a little something more.
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

cw: anxiety, panic attacks, depression, suicidal ideation, attempted abduction of a child, violence, mentions of death

Kat is a dental nurse who loses her job and gets dumped by her boyfriend of five years while she's at the super exclusive gym her (now ex) boyfriend paid for her to use. She suffers a huge panic attack and cannot leave the gym.

I had a really hard time with this book. I think I was expecting something along the lines of 'The Terminal' meets 'Bridget Jones' from the blurb, but this is very one dimensional and introspective, and most definitely NOT a rom com as marketed. It's not even funny - though I think it's meant to be at least a little bit comedic, and the romance is practically non-existent and feels shoe-horned into a completely different book.

Kat has anxiety (as do I), so I thought I might identify with her, but I found that she blames almost everything on it. It's clear she has struggled with a lot of things in her life, but she's a pretty unlikeable character and my opinion didn't really change throughout the book. Her internal dialogue is incessant to the point of irritating, and honestly? The blurb made more sense than the reality of the storyline. We're told that she starts living in the gym because she can't leave, but I just can't fathom how or why her ex would have spent so much money on the membership for her in the first place if he had any intention of dumping her. I don't know how employments laws work in the US, but I feel certain that Kat would have at least received a verbal and/or written warning for the previous complaints she'd received at work so I couldn't believe the sudden sacking via telephone either (again, who does that?) These are critiques of the unrealistic story, not the respective characters by the way. I felt like the circumstances just didn't make sense.

The biggest problem with this book is that it just isn't remotely funny. It deals with very heavy themes, and Kat's mental health crisis is front and centre for the entire book. Listen, I LOVE an introspective, angst-ridden read when it's done well, but the cover and blurb is in no way representative of the book and I felt duped that I was reading such a heavy and bleak story. This book should definitely come with content warnings (see mine above), and I cannot in good conscience recommend it.

Overall Rating: ❤️

*I will leave the same review on Amazon UK on publication day*