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🌶️

*FMC: Catherine, aspiring math professor whose best friend is her label maker
*raised by her single dad, a literal clown
*MMC: Luca, doorman of her building
*he's an unorganized hot guy with tattoos and abs
*super loveable cast of side characters including the elderly residents of the apartment building and Luca's big Italian family
*also featuring: a missing identity, mommy issues, butterscotch candies, juggling, trips to the DMV, math jokes, and a burlesque dancer named Ginger Ale

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this arc.

I was very excited to read this based on the premise, but I just couldn’t finish it. I felt like I had read a lot and I had only read 8 chapters. It was just dragging to me.
Overall, not for me.

Unfortunately, I struggled to finish this one. Romance fell a little flat to me, but overall loved the fresh story. I was very intrigued by the overall premise and storyline, and I’m sure many people would really enjoy this!

I enjoyed the beginning of this and thought the story would be light and fun, but the conflict felt repetitive and is there really a way to write a dissertation without having an identity? I know it’s fiction but I couldn’t get over all the steps leading up to her job offer that would have required verifying her identity. Plus the romance fell flat. We weren’t told much at all about Luca other than how he interacts with the other residents, and I just didn’t feel the chemistry between them so it was hard to root for them together.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I found the premise of this one to be so interesting. I was desperate to be invested in the story but I just couldn’t. Neat idea for a story but unfortunately it didn’t work for me.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

Unfortunately, I decided that this wasn’t the book for me and have decided to step away from reading it.

I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eArc!!

DNF before 10%.

I was already skimming for dialogue because I couldn't' stand the FMC. The MMC just seems like an idiot. The premise makes no sense. Because she likes numbers and is a mathematician, her whole life is governed by numbers and rules and logic. I forgot, being a woman in STEM means we're all anti-fun.

Final straw was her acting embarrassed by her dad after meeting with her new boss. 1) That's not something you should be embarrassed about. 2) If your boss thinks less of you because of your fathers' profession, he's a d-bag.

I'm really sad this book made me so irrationally angry so fast because I loved The Second Chance Year but this one was just not for me.

Loved this book! I thought the romance was really well done and the dialogue and banter made me giggle the whole time.

Another super fun book from Melissa Weisner! I love her style and the way she incorporates magical realism into her romances. This one felt less magical overall than the last, and I was a bit confused by the mechanics of how the magic worked, but I did enjoy it anyway!

The opposites attract vibes were strong with this one! I loved how these MC's brought out the best in each other and how Catherine learned from Luca. I also loved the found family vibes and the way this story made the city feel like a small town. What a fun story!

I really enjoyed this sweet, engaging story of Catherine, a control-freak mathematician, who lives in a building of elderly residents (to save money) and her journey to self-discovery, romance and letting go of the strict expectations she has for herself, her parents and her romantic partners. Along the way she discovers joys and skills she had long forgotten or didn't know she had and finds friends in unexpected places as she realizes she's been harshly judging people based on false impressions. She expands her world along with her heart, looking towards a more hopeful future. I look forward to reading more of this author's books, as this is the first book I have read by this author.

Thank you so much to @readforeverpub and @netgalley for the copy of this eARC!
 
I’m still baffled as to why Wish I Were Here doesn’t seem to get more attention. This book is a true gem, beautifully written from start to finish. I can’t express enough how much I loved it!
 
The characters in this story were a sheer delight, each one more charming than the last. The story felt like a magical journey, and I found myself fully immersed in it.
 
The story follows Catherine, a newly hired mathematics professor who discovers that, according to the government, she doesn't even exist. It’s a wild and fascinating concept that hooks you right away.
Then there’s Luka—he and Catherine are the perfect examples of opposites attracting. Their dynamic is pure gold. Add to that a quirky building full of senior citizens, and you’ve got an unforgettable cast of characters that will steal your heart.
 
Watching Catherine evolve throughout the book was a rewarding experience. Her journey of self-discovery, grappling with the need for stability, and learning how to embrace life’s unpredictability, was inspiring. Luka’s unwavering support for her through it all made their bond so touching and real.
 
The magical realism woven into the story added such a unique, enchanting touch.
 
This book had everything I could want: an engaging plot, unforgettable characters, a heartwarming found family dynamic, and life lessons that resonated deeply.
 
Favorite lines:
 
"Somedays I simply like to be nobody."

"Maybe Grandpa knew you were the one too."

"Be careful what you wish for."

4.5 🐾/ 5 rounded up

I really liked this book, but I might be a little biased because I really related with the FMC. We both studied mathematics in college (although I don’t have a PhD), and neither of our childhoods were totally stable. It made me realize that I probably chose to get into math (as opposed to English which I also loved) because it provided the solidity I might have craved. I mean, you can always rely on 1+1 equaling 2, and I liked that there was always a firm answer when it came to solving equations. I just didn’t know why.

I got pretty frustrated with the FMC Catherine’s dad, but that might have been more of a me issue. And I originally did not like the MMC Luca at the beginning, either. (I totally agreed he was not following the rules or doing a great job at being a doorman.) But this book has a great character arc for Catherine, and I eventually came around to Luca, too.

This book is categorized as magical realism, but if you’re expecting a lot of that, you might be disappointed. I would say it’s got a dusting of that at most (and most really comes at the end). But I thought the whole “I don’t exist” thing was a cute, quirky, fun plot to have Catherine essentially just try to locate her birth certificate. It is definitely more of a bureaucratic error, though, than her actually not existing.

Overall, a fun quirky book with just enough romance to warm your heart.

Quick pace - Loved the blend of mystery and romance. Sometimes, this is done too cheesy, but it didn't feel that way. Would love to read more by this author

This book immediately drew me in with his unique plot and I was itching to read more! It started out great, but I think the pace was just a bit too slow for me. I found myself continually pushing through a chapter to get to the next, waiting to see how a plot line would develop/be resolved, only to find another chapter of waiting/no further development or certain plots— this happened with the mom plot especially. The book did make me laugh at some points, Catherine slightly annoyed me at others with how immediately judgmental she was but she has character growth🥳 and loosens up by the books end. Luca was great! Such a cutie with such a pure soul. Overall it was a fine read, but I wouldn’t pick it up again. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Overall I liked this book, although I liked the author's previous book a little more. There was good chemistry between the two leads although the main character got in her head a little too much. The soul-searching the FMC went through still felt a little surface level to me. Some of the "twists" seemed obvious to me.

Wish I Were Here is a charming mix of whimsy, mystery, and romance, sprinkled with just enough magic to make it truly captivating. The story follows Catherine Lipton, a math professor whose carefully organized life is upended when she loses her identity. Forced to rely on Luca, her carefree and charismatic doorman, Catherine embarks on a journey of self-discovery, unexpected twists, and romance. With its engaging characters, heartfelt moments, and a touch of magic, this is a delightful and surprisingly moving read that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

This book was super cute! I have never read this author before, but was pleasantly surprised. It reminded me of The Seven Year Slip or any book by Ashley Poston. If you like a little magical realism, this book is for you. My only complaint was the length of the book. I think it could have been trimmed 30-50 pages, but I still enjoyed reading it. The characters were super cute and swoon-worthy.

This is a magical opposites attract romance book. Catherine is a follow the rules person and she ends up falling for Luca who appears to function as a disorganized free spirit. Of course it turns out he is much more than that. As they work together to help Catherine out of a big problem she starts to notice many more good qualities in Luca. One of the strong points of this book is the great cast of characters. Overall a very engaging story!

This is my second book by this author, and she really knows how to write a sweet magical realism romance. I absolutely loved Catherine’s character arc coming from such an unstable childhood to being a very structured adult and then finally finding a happy medium. The ending of this book was absolutely perfect and just so sweet. Definitely would recommend it to anyone looking for just a nice easy romance.

This book was fine, but unmemorable. I was hoping for more magic. I did like the setting and the opposites attract characters, though.