Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC copy of Wish You Weren't Here in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very cute YA book. I loved Priya's character. I also loved all the Survivor references. A fun read that I would recommend.

Wish You Weren’t Here by Erin Baldwin

Frenemies by silent agreement, Juliette and Priya find themselves spending their summer trapped together in the same cabin at Juliette’s annual retreat to summer camp.

The beginning of this book is somewhat encouraging. I always find the enemies-to-lovers trope somewhat suspect. It always feels overdramatic and overblown, and often the MCs have to resort to being petty and immature to keep the rivalry, or the antagonism towards each other is over too soon. But here, it’s made pretty clear that Priya and Juliette just don’t get along and they’ve silently agreed to just be civil with each other. It’s a very reasonable response to not liking someone. MCs are a little judgemental, but in the way you expect 17yo’s to be. All in all, the “enemies” part of this is the most realistic part of this book.

Everything else about this book pushed at and eventually broke my suspension of disbelief. The LI Priya has a level of fame in this small town where people are falling over themselves to get invites to Priya’s birthday parties. Juliette is super judgy about Priya’s wealth but Juliette’s parents are workaholic doctors, so it’s not like Juliette’s family doesn’t have money. Juliette falls and sprains her ankle at summer camp but instead of going to the camp nurse, they call an ambulance for her, and she gets an MRI. I just … can’t buy into it.

On top of that, I could buy this as a “freniemes-to-platonic friends” book but I don’t feel any romantic chemistry between Juliette and Priya. I honestly thought for the 40% of this book that I actually read (spoiler - I didn’t finish this) that this was just a platonic friendship story. When I decided to not finish this, I skipped to the end just to see if maybe that’s what it was. But no, this is supposed to be a romance. And maybe the chemistry comes in the 60% I didn’t read, fair. But idk, I just don’t feel it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sapphic YA frenemies to lovers romance set at camp with a prickly heroine! I enjoyed this quite a lot. Wish You Weren't Here is a frothy summer camp romance between a misunderstood, hard-headed heroine who feels like camp is the only place she can be herself, and the Instagram-famous girl she cordially despises who shows up unannounced as her roommate for the summer. This is for girls who were told they were too much, too intense, not nice enough. Girls who just wanted to be seen and loved for who they are. It's a slow-burn and is almost entirely set at camp with all the requisite camp activities. A great book for heading into the summer! I received a copy of this book for review via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I’m not usually a YA reader, but I’m so glad I made an exception for this sapphic summer camp story!

This is such a perfect summer book. It has all the quintessential camp necessities - color wars, bunkmates, evil counselors, drama performances, and so much more!

The characters in this story were interesting, the plot was engaging, and this was such a fun read.

I can’t believe this is a debut book, and I’m excited to see what the author has in store in the future!

wow wow wow WOW!

Erin just wrote THE camp book of all camp books, I swear!

I was THERE, a camper at Fogridge. So beautifully written, descriptive in the best way. If you asked me if this camp exists somewhere in the world, i’d Color Wars and Senior Twilight exist my answer would be a resounding YES!

I also loved the quick chapters!

UGH LOVE!

This is the perfect YA summer romp. It's cute, it's cozy, it's predictable sure but that's part of the fun about it! This is for the kids who had their gay awakening watching The Parent Trap (you know the scene) and it's such a sweet story that has a cute romance, themes of self-discovery, and is most importantly, a love letter to summer camps. I never really got to go to summer camps or sleepaway camps as a kid due to financial restraints, but I imagine this is what it would have been like if it I did, and I enjoyed getting to experience it and enjoyed the romance that came with it.

I clocked the Trixie Mattel product placement in the scene where Priya helps Juliette with putting on makeup. This story had everything I like queer people, camp experiences, and the last year in the last summer of your 18th year. It’s a shame that I felt the side characters were in the background too much and weren’t as fleshed out as possible so I got them confused or forgot about them. Conflict was kind of weak, but it doesn’t really matter to me because I liked the quick pace of the story. Thank you to the author and net galley for another good e-arc.

I wasn’t able to access this book as it is a pdf and not epub. This is the first time I have encountered that outside of a cookbook, bummed but I’ll be requesting it at my library when it comes out! Looks great.

4.5/5

In the early 2000s a shy girl worked really hard to sell enough girl scout cookies to go with her friend to camp (for free!) for a few weeks. While at camp this girl was included in activities, was accepted into already established friend groups, and also got to learn how to ride a horse. When she went home at the end of camp, she cried.
This book brought back memories of my own time at camp and coming out of my shell. Really enjoyed the stroll down memory lane while reading.

"Wish You Weren't Here" starts as a teenage rivalry novel but it quickly becomes apparent that it's about much more. Juliette has been told all her life that she is "too much" or "too intense". Meanwhile Priya is always "on", being what people expect of her. Juliette has been coming to camp for years and sees them as her found family, the people who truly understand her. So when Priya (her school rival) shows up during Juliette's last summer at camp, she is devastated. As the girls are forced into close proximity they began to learn who the real Juliette and Priya are. Friendship and understanding is within reach, perhaps even something more.

What a delight! This story is just spot on in so many ways. The characters are believable and rounded, even the side characters. The camp is so real you can smell it.

We can see everything that Juliette sees about Priya, but we're also pretty sure that isn't the entire story. I was wishing for a chapter from Priya's point of view, but knew that would mean me losing out on following Juliette as she figures out both herself and Priya.

Yes, we know exactly how this is going to end, but the ride is so good.

I wouldn't change anything about this book. Well, I would like to know why Priya only wears white.

I'm looking forward to more books from Erin Baldwin.

Note on the ARC, part of the letter at the beginning of chapter 29 is misformatted. There is an aside starting with "My head snaps up..." that should be in body font instead of in the letter font.

Super cute and cozy lil summer moment. When Juliette’s nemesis (Priya) becomes her roommate in her final year of camp, she thinks her summer is ruined. Camp is her place, her people, and now Priya is there, making friends with her friends and living her best life. Juliette starts making the best of it when Priya is inescapable, and thru a sprained ankle, Beauty and the Beast stage show, and a night in the woods, they find their common ground and maybe even do a kiss!

This was a sparkling debut. Erin Baldwin took the magic of summer camp and spun it into a moving, passionate sapphic story. It’s classic rivals to lovers, with an honest look at how teenagers think. Juliette was so real, stubborn, and determined. Priya was her perfect balance. I loved how Juliette learned from her summer, her situation, and was able to admit her flaws.

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin for this advanced copy!

This book was so cute! I really loved the fun, summer vibes. It made me, an indoorsy homebody, want to go to camp. Not enough to actually go (as a counselor now since, you know, time has passed) but still. This was a really fun book to read.

I liked all the characters, including the supporting ones. The friendships were all great and I thought the main relationship was adorable. I enjoyed the girls' banter and the slow burn. I was definitely rooting for them to figure things out. The happy ending felt earned and left me smiling.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

Wish You Weren't Here is a light summer read following Juliette during her last year at summer camp. Juliette has always been told she is too intense, but Fogridge Sleepaway Camp is the one place she feels like she can be fully herself... until she shows up to find her roommate is her school rival, Priya. The girls quickly turn from enemies to friends to more. This was such a quick fun read that felt like an ode to youth, summer camp, & home away from home.

Wish You Weren't Here comes out June 4th, 2024. Thank you to NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 Stars but rounding up for the review!

I picked this book up expecting a romance (note: it's not) but wasn't at all bothered by the completely slow burn romantic subplot. This story was a fun coming of age about Juliette navigating her last year at summer camp. I can't lie, this was one of the nicest camps ever making the story more fun and nostalgic. I loved the many activities at camp, her two camp besties and the details surrounding all of the characters. The story felt age appropriate and did a great job of highlighting how big things can feel when we are young. I also think it did a good job of not explaining everything (ie why Galahad had no backstory - sometimes adults are just mean!). I enjoyed the relationship between Juliette and Priya. They had lots of fun, sarcastic banter and showed the awkwardness we sometimes feel when we make assumptions about others. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something light to read who enjoy coming of age stories!

If I’m being completely honest this YA book just wasn’t for me. It took too long to get anywhere. I didn’t feel any chemistry between Juliette and Priya. The way the book paced they honestly should’ve just ended with being friends. They don’t feel believable as a couple. Priya was more interesting than the main character. This book has me feeling as though I’ve aged out of young adults.

I received an advanced copy of Wish You Weren't Here by Erin Baldwin from the publisher Penguin Group via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: During the school year, Juliette feels constantly in the shadow of Priya Pendley. Priya is beautiful, popular, has social media fame, and a track captain boyfriend. They are not alike but their friend groups overlap, so Juliette puts up with her and it’s fine, because at camp, she shines and can be herself. But then she finds out that Priya is going to be at Fogridge and guess what? She’s her bunkmate. Juliette is devastated because it’s her last summer as a camper and something’s gotta give or it could ruin everything!

What I Loved: I loved the camp vibes and I enjoyed so much having a book set at camp. I think Baldwin really highlighted the joy and nostalgia at camp. The feeling of coming together for a few weeks of year and being so important to one another. The setting really shine. I also really liked the chemistry between our leads and was eagerly awaiting for them to figure it out and for Juliette to get over herself.

What I Didn’t Like: The conflict and dislike is very contrived and difficult to wrap my head around. The fact that these two really have no reason to dislike each other (other than Priya who Juliette is borderline rude to), made it hard to buy into the hate which led to strong annoyance/borderline. It made me really get frustrated and not really relate or enjoy our main character. I also found it a little silly to have Priya be social media famous, this seemed pretty unbelievable based on the plot.

Who Should Read It: People who want the nostalgia of camp. People who love YA romance.

Summary: Two frenemies are put in a cabin at camp and all kinds of sparks fly!

Wish You Weren’t Here by Erin Baldwin is the sapphic romance book I wish I’d had when I was in high school! This book is wholesome, funny, adorable, and the perfect love story for young adults looking to get into romance!

I loved everything about this book! In the story, you are reading from Juliette Barrera-Wright’s point of view as she navigates her Senior Year of high school. She often feels invisible in every aspect of her life, until she’s at her one happy place, Fogridge Summer Camp. Her Senior Summer at Fogridge is going to be the best yet! Until she realizes there her number one least favorite person, Priya Pendley is not only at camp for the summer too, but is her roommate!

What follows is a story of finding yourself, and learning that your perception of someone, or their situation, is often not what you initially believe it to be. And if you can learn to accept that and shift your understanding, wonderful things can bloom.

A Delightful Sapphic Romcom!

I had the pleasure of diving into Erin Baldwin’s sapphic romcom, “Wish You Weren’t Here,” courtesy of an ARC from NetGalley.

Juliette Barrera-Wright, introverted high school junior, is counting down the days until she can escape to Fogridge Sleepaway Camp for her last summer before college. Fogridge has always been her sanctuary away from the relentless pressures of school and her small town's societal expectations. But this year there’s a catch: her high-school nemesis, Priya Pendley, the hot, dazzling social media sensation, will be her cabin-mate.

Priya, with her seemingly perfect life, has millions of followers and a stereotypical boyfriend who fits the mold. Yet, appearances can be deceiving. Beneath Priya’s glamorous facade lies a girl grappling with her own struggles—pressure to maintain her image, a less-than-ideal relationship, and the weight of expectations.

When Priya’s presence at disrupts Juliette’s summer plans, chaos ensues, and it appears that it could be the worst summer ever. But sometimes fate has other ideas. Despite the situation they find themselves in, and their rivalry, Juliette and Priya form an unlikely alliance. And, as the days unfold, Juliette discovers that Priya isn’t just the mean girl she assumed.

With her shields lowered, Priya is revealed to be a multifaceted person, with dreams, fears, and insecurities. Her vulnerability surprises Juliette, and their interactions lead to unexpected growth for both characters.

As the summer unfolds, Juliette and Priya’s relationship undergoes a remarkable transformation filled with witty banter, verbal sparring, late-night conversations, secret swims, stolen glances, and longing.

If you’re a fan of swoony moments, humor, heartache, and amazing chemistry, Juliette and Priya’s enemies-to-lovers journey is for you!

Their story reminds us that, sometimes, the person we least expect can become our greatest ally—or something more.

Disclosure: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.75
This was a very cute & quick read but it feels underdeveloped in a multitude of ways which leads it to be unsatisfying

I wish not only the characters but also some plotlines/conflicts were fleshed out more because it feels a bit choppy at times

This novel is more so a love letter to summer camp than it is about the romance so if that's your thing you will probably eat this up, but I was expecting more of the romance and I didn't get what I wanted from that

The relationship dynamic between the two characters was confusing for me. it was very much a one-sided hatred kind of thing on Juliette’s part rather than it being a mutual "rivals" thing. it just seemed like Juliette’s dislike of Priya was driven by insecurity rather than actual reasoning if that makes sense? but Priya played into it by cropping Juliette out of pictures and keeping a distance but she didn't even have a problem with Juliette? it was a friendly dynamic because they still invited each other to things & were always in each other’s spaces so the negative interactions felt unnecessary

I wish the characterization was better in this story, everything felt surface level and there was a lot of telling not showing

When the characters finally do "get together" it's not seamless & I didn't find myself connecting to them or the romance at that point. it all felt very rushed

PUB DATE: June 4th, 2024
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC copy of Wish You Weren't Here in exchange for an honest review.