I recently finished Wish You Weren't Here by Erin Baldwin, and I have to say, it was a delightful read. This YA novel centers around Juliette Barrera-Wright, a teenager who finds solace and a sense of self at Camp Fogridge, her annual escape from the chaos of home life. However, her final summer at camp takes an unexpected turn when Priya Pendley, the popular and seemingly perfect girl from her school, becomes her cabinmate.

At first, Juliette's reaction is one of frustration and disbelief. The camp, her sanctuary, is now shared with someone who embodies everything she feels she isn't. But as the story unfolds, so does their relationship. The narrative beautifully captures the complexities of teenage emotions, identity, and the nuances of first love. It's not just a romance; it's a journey of self-discovery and understanding.

One of the aspects I appreciated most was the authentic portrayal of Juliette's internal struggles. Her feelings of inadequacy and the challenges she faces in reconciling her identity with her surroundings felt real and relatable. The slow-burn romance between her and Priya was sweet and heartwarming, though I did wish for a bit more development in their relationship.

The setting of Camp Fogridge added a nostalgic touch, reminding me of the transformative experiences that summer camps can offer. The diverse cast and the exploration of themes like race, sexuality, and personal growth added depth to the story, making it more than just a typical summer romance.

In conclusion, Wish You Weren't Here is a charming and heartfelt novel that I would recommend to fans of YA romance and coming-of-age stories. It's a reminder that sometimes, the people we least expect can help us discover who we truly are.

Oh how this book made my little queer heart happy. If only there were books about finding yourself and finding the right people in your life when I was in high school.

Juliette, a girl who seems so sure of herself and has positive influences surrounding her has been going to camp every summer since she was a kid. Now it is her senior year and last summer at camp as a camper and her nemesis Priya ends up going to the same camp for one year, so it looks good on her college applications. Not only does Priya end up going to the same camp, but they are roommates. When Juliette lets her guards down and realize that Priya isn't out for blood (and finds out she's bisexual), maybe Priya isn't her nemesis but someone she looks up to and someone she might even have a crush on.

Once Juliette and Priya tolerate each other with hashing out the past, things evolve more than friendship. Juliette questions her sexuality and more so her past since she has clearly been lying to herself.

This book is not only about coming out and finding your true self, it's about friendship, love and hope for the future.

This story is whimsical, loving, and at times completely hilarious. I feel like my physical body was imbued with both hope and pain throughout the story. I havent been reading too much YA lit recently, but I"m so glad I picked this one up.

For the most part I liked this, but at some points the main character was getting a bit annoying. And I know that this is a YA book, but even with my YA brain working she was still a bit childish to me. She was mad at the girl because she was jealous? I was annoyed lol

So what I did enjoy was the story-telling. Idk how or why, but I sat down with this book and couldn’t stop reading it. I just sat down and read it in a whole work day. And it was a day that I had no meetings and I just read it straight through. It seemed like candy to me, but in reality, I know I was just in the mood for a summer romance and this one GAVE!

The main character tho? She was one of the main reasons why I was a bit annoyed by this story. She was so stubborn and mean for no damn reason. Like why are you being like this? And to someone she supposedly liked? Idk it wasn’t giving I like you. To me it was giving, “I’m jealous of you.” Maybe I’m jaded and I just don’t like people, but she was rude af for now reason lol And I guess I was mad because girl wtf this girl has been nothing but nice to you and you got all these people “hating on” her? It was weird. Even when they got together she was still a bit mean to her. And that annoyed me. Like girl she could have changed the trajectory of that thing at the end. But she didn’t. Stop pouting lol Now, was the other FMC pretentious? Yes. But she WAS ALWAYS like that. It didn’t just start at camp. And she had a reason why. You were just mean because you assumed she was lol

The two of them together was just ok. For me, I just didn’t see it. This is a REAL DEAL opposites attract but not really. Because spoiler: she just thought she was mean and nasty. She actually had a very valid reason for doing things the way she did. I also am not a fan of those relationships where one of them is mean to the other. This is why friends to lovers is my favorite. Because Lordt knows this Scorpio’s attitude is too much for one of them lol

I know this is lame, but the setting was indeed the best part. I’ve never been to a summer camp away from home, so this was just like I got on a camp bus and escaped my parents lol And even though they didn’t go into full detail on ALL the camp events that they had, it still had the camp vibe if that makes sense. I remember being in the middle of the book and slapping at mosquitoes because I felt like they were in the vicinity.

This book was a little weird for me. I liked it yes, but I’m more of a character driven reader. I normally would have been so mad reading this lol But because the rest of the book was so good, I think I blacked out everything else. It just didn’t matter to me. And THAT my dears, is the power of a good plot and a good setting. I forgot about everything else lolol

Addison, is trying to move on from her past and start fresh after experiencing some significant challenges in her life. She heads to a small town in hopes of finding peace and starting anew. In this town, she crosses paths with Evan, a man who is dealing with his own set of emotional scars. You'll see grief, trust, vulnerability, and the healing power of connection. This is a slow burn romance, so you don't like slow burn, this may not be for you.

Wish you weren’t here is a super cute sapphic enemies to lovers story. Juliette and Priya have an amazing dynamic. I normally don’t read contemporary YA romances but this is a new fave for me.

Pine for days! And not just the trees. I admittedly don’t read much YA but Erin’s ability to capture yearning and that spark of attraction was masterful. The whole book was literary candy and I ate it up.

I legitimately thought this was older teens who were at least 18, which made this harder for me to enjoy. They're very young and act like it, which makes me not the target audience for this title anymore.

This review is coming from someone who LOVED summer camp as a kid and attended summer camp from age 8 to 18. I will adore any story that feels even loosely as a Parent Trap inspired remake and that’s now this felt (of course not the family part lol but the mains are family friends!). A very wholesome YA debut novel and I think a great wlw read or anyone open to teens being teens in love.

couldn't ever get the epub to work or download so unfortunately wasn't able to read it even with support help but have to leave a star rating regardless!

I’m always a sucker for a summer camp romance—the late nights, the bonfires, the nostalgia of it all. So I was excited to dive into Wish You Weren't Here, hoping for a swoony, summer-soaked rivals-to-lovers story. And while the book had its fun moments, it ultimately felt... just okay.

While the book had all the right ingredients, it never quite delivered anything memorable. The romance felt a little underdeveloped, and Juliette and Priya’s transition from rivals to something more lacked the kind of emotional depth that makes these stories really shine. I wanted more build-up, more longing, more moments that made my heart ache before it soared. Instead, everything unfolded in a way that felt predictable and a little too easy.

That’s not to say it wasn’t enjoyable! It’s a perfectly fine, lighthearted read, and if you’re looking for a quick summer romance with campfire vibes and a hint of angst, it’ll scratch that itch. But compared to other summer camp love stories, Wish You Weren't Here just doesn’t stand out.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Gods this book has left me stewing in my nostalgia for mosquito bites, burnt marshmallows, and Girl Scout sleep away camp.

Wish You Weren't Here by Erin Baldwin follows our main character, Juliette, at her final summer at Fogridge Sleepaway Camp, where she unexpectedly has to share a cabin with her longtime frenemy, Priya. The summer is different than what Juliette planned, but it ends up better than she imagined with a surprise romance with Priya. I grew up going to summer camp, and now I work at one, plus I'm a lesbian, so I HAD to request this book! Juliette was giving all the chaotic camp vibes, plus teenage sapphic angst, and I was living for it!! It was funny and cute and emotional. it did feel like a debut, but I can't wait to read more from Erin Baldwin.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙔𝙤𝙪 Penguin Teen fur my complimentary copy.

I though this book was so cute! It's a summer camp frenemies to lovers rom come, what's not to like?! Although I did not like Juliette's character at first, but she definitely grew on me. If you ever went to summer camp, or enjoy summer camp vibes you will love this one!

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮:
• sapphic romcoms
• summer romance
• witty banter
• camp
• grumpy sunshine
• "enemies" to lovers

Erin Baldwin's Wish You Weren't Here is the sapphic camp romance I've always dreamed of. What a fun, complex, and tender tale—Baldwin does a great job at depicting both the trials of teenagerdom and the sweetness of first love.

five stars, no notes. I don't typically read YA but the premise of this book was just too good. Erin Baldwin is magic and so are her characters.

Wish You Weren't Here by Erin Baldwin is a stunning debut that blends humor, emotion, and a perfect summer camp setting. The story centers on Juliette, a flawed but lovable protagonist, and Priya, her perfect yet complex rival-turned-love interest. Their slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers dynamic is brilliantly written, with each character growing in meaningful ways as they challenge and support each other.

At the heart of the story are Juliette Barrera-Wright and Priya Pendley, two characters who start as friendly rivals, but slowly reveal the complexities of their personalities and flaws. Juliette, the story’s POV character, is incredibly well-developed—flawed, funny, and relatable. You’re not always supposed to root for her, and that’s part of what makes her journey so compelling. As she learns to grow and accept her own shortcomings, she also begins to see Priya in a new light. Priya, at first, seems like the perfect, untouchable girl, but the layers peel back to reveal her own flaws, making her just as human as Juliette.

The inclusion in the story feels seamless and authentic, not forced or one-dimensional. The characters are wonderfully diverse, and the way their different backgrounds and personalities are woven into the narrative only adds richness to the story. You truly feel like you're spending a summer at camp with these characters, and the genuine, inclusive atmosphere only strengthens the emotional pull of the novel. Highly recommend!

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

This was such a cute ya sapphic romance ! We follow Juliette as she’s off to her much anticipated final year of summer camp, only her worst nightmare comes true her rival Priya is at her summer camp and worse yet her new bunk mate. I loved the characters in this one they felt real and relatable. This made me miss summer and think of my own past summer camp days. I enjoyed this authors writing it was fast paced and engaging and I couldn’t put this down. This is my first book from this author and hope to read more from them in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

This was an entertaining book that revolved around two girls that seemingly have a rivalry, yet nothing is quite as it seems. There is also plenty of camp hijinks!