“For the love of Pythagoras”

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an eArc of Wish I Were Here in exchange for an honest review.

Wish I Were Here is a closed door romance that was easily digestible and overall a fun time. Though, as a math teacher myself, the math puns were killing me at the 20% mark.

I saw a lot of myself in Catherine’s character at first with a passion for following the rules and wanting to be successful in her career, but her uptightness made me want her to calm down. I’m glad for Luca’s character and the balance that he brought with his carefreeness.

Though I wanted more from their “romance” because I’m sure there is more to Luca than just being well connected, never seeming to do his job, and having tattoos. This book didn’t feel as romance heavy as I would have liked and wanted more tension filled moments with Moonstone and Elbow if I can be frank.

I was way more interested in knowing about the Morelli’s then Catherine’s troubles at times and really want to know more about Uncle Vito.

Overall it was an enjoyable read, but if you are a math person maybe skip this one 😝

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever publishing for this E-ARC.

I am currently sobbing. Big ugly sobs are leaving my body. I knew this would happen. From the first sentence I knew it. I could feel a part of my soul staying with this book forever. How dare you! The writing is beautiful. The story is beautiful. The way it’s all wrapped up nicely in the end is beautiful. Great job. Great writing.

Catherine has plans. She has goals. She has a to do list. Which she follows. Precisely. Luca is everything opposite to Catherine. He’s the doorman at Catherine’s apartment building. Yet he seems to never be there and always messes up. This does not fit into Catherine’s well planned life.
On her way to meet her new boss at the job she worked so hard to get, Luca spills coffee all over her pants. Disaster. Not as big of a disaster as what happens after the meeting with her boss. Or what follows in the next few days.

Make sure you read this book. It’s a beautiful message of how you should appreciate everything around you. And everyone isn’t always as they seem. And also be kind to everyone.

A little too odd and quirky for me. We jump straight into the story with very little background and I was never able to feel a connection with the story. The cast of characters were interesting and fun but never developed enough to truly enjoy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

If you like quirky, magical realism with a touch of romance then you're probably really going to enjoy Wish I Were Here by Melissa Wiesner.

Mathematician, Catherine Lipton, has a type-A personality. She can't help it she was born that way, but it didn't help that she was raised by a free-spirited father in art commune. Her rigid ways are put to the test when she loses her identity-- literally. After landing the job of her dream,s, she discovers that her birth certificate, social security number, and even her driver's license are all fake.

Catherine teams up with her building's doorman, Luca Morelli, to restore her identity. Along the way, she learns that maybe some of her type-A ways are coping strategies and she's a lot more flexible than she thought she was-- she knows how to juggle and perform aerial silks.

This was a sweet book about self-discovery. I loved the hi jinks that Catherine and Luca got into together. As a romance, there was fun banter and really good chemistry.

Thank you to Melissa Wiesner and Forever for an eARC of Wish I Were Here in exchange for my honest opinion. I honestly really enjoyed this one. Four Stars.

I really loved this book! The entire cast of characters was so likeable. I related to Catherine instantly as someone who needs structure and organization. Luca is such a tattooed golden retriever that I loved him right away. But the true stars of the books were the elderly people living in Catherine’s building. It is a true community of good, kind humans ready to help however they can.

Catherine and Luca are drawn together to solve the mystery of Catherine’s missing identity. Even though they are total opposites, Catherine finds herself enjoying his presence and appreciating his charm and eagerness to help. I loved that the book was mostly focused on solving the mystery, and the love story slowly developed in the background. I was so invested in this book and didn’t want to put it down. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a sweet story with a touch of magical realism.

Thank you to Melissa Wiesner, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Melissa Wiesner's books are like the biggest, sweetest hugs! I adore her writing so much. Add this page-turner to your TBR if you like a hint of magic, sweet and selfless heroes, losing (and finding!) yourself, found family, and a plot that makes you go omg-how's-she-getting-out-of-this?!

Thanks to Netgalley for the E-ARC. I love a rom com book but I love even more when I read a romance book and the focus is not on the love between 2 people but so much more and can keep me emersed in the story and let me tell you this story did that. This book had a little bit of everything family, drama, magic, love and everything was so well done it was the right dose. I identified so much with Catherine she likes list and organization and schedules and it all goes haywire when she finds out she does not "exist" her social security nor id is in the system. Luca is all the opposite but somehow they complete each other. Loved it and cant wait for more

Thank you, Net Galley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Melissa Wiesner for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to be approved for this ARC because it's different from books I normally read! I tend to lean toward books that are heavily romance with moderate spice. This book is about the FMC's journey of self-discovery with a closed door romance subplot.

Catherine is a type A math professor who prefers her life organized. Growing up with no mother and a charismatic (literal) clown father showed her just how much she likes structure in her life and avoids chaos. When she goes in for orientation for her new job, she finds out that she doesn't exist. Seemingly overnight, all her government issued IDs are no longer valid, causing a spiral where she can't even use her credit cards.

Catherine leans on Luca Morelli, the sexy doorman of her new apartment, to help her figure out what happened to her identity. Luca is extremely well-connected, so he's the perfect person to help her out. Not to mention, he's always helping the elderly members of the building with various un-doorman activities, like giving them rides to the pharmacy.

While Catherine and Luca dig deeper into her situation (and break a few laws), they grow closer and develop a bond. Catherine learns that family isn't always blood-related and that there's more to life than just work.

I really liked Catherine's journey and felt like there were elements in this book that almost anybody can relate to.

Imagine finally achieving all your goals just to have them halted because the government has no idea who you are…
In this story, we follow Catherine, a meticulously organized rule follower who finally lands her dream job and settles into her own place, only to discover that she doesn’t exist to the government. This premise sets the stage for a journey filled with unexpected friendships and magical twists.
Catherine’s character development is truly remarkable; she evolves from a by-the-book individual into someone who embraces the chaos of her newfound reality. Luca, the doorman, adds warmth and humor to the narrative—he’s the ally we didn’t know we needed.
The blend of magic, meddling neighbors, and personal growth makes this story a page turner and I found myself rooting for Catherine every step of the way. I desperately need this book turned into a movie!

All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa Wienser, and Forever for the eARC copy.

4.75⭐️s I had such a good time reading about Catherine and Luca. Catherine has a lot to realize and Luca is a humble free spirit. This just had that something that I can’t fully explain but hit just right. This has lost identity, meddling neighbors, found family, and juggling. 🤹 Be sure to check out Wish I Were Here on October 15th.

Catherine is all about organization and proper prep time. If she has an appointment at nine, she’ll be there waiting at seven. But who can blame her, a potentially tenured position in the mathematics department opens and that rarely happens. Catherine has to be perfect. But when orientation comes and her paperwork isn’t quite right, she doesn’t know what to do. The last person she would think could help is her doorman, Luca. He’s rarely at his post, mail and packages are everywhere, and the elevator is always broken. How can such a careless, free spirit help. Not, does Catherine find out just how much he can. Luca knows everyone. Though it takes some impersonations, felonies, and hard truths, Catherine begins to see he’s everything she needs.

Huge thanks to @netgalley @readforeverpub and @melissawiesnerauthor for the opportunity to read and review. #wishiwerehere #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #bookstagram #slightlyghostly #goread

An uptight mathematician meets a carefree doorman and he helps with an identity issue when her new job can’t confirm her existence. She was raised by her dad, but they couldn’t be more opposite. She reaches out to him to get her birth certificate and she looks into her mother who she has never met and barely knows her name. Luca helps her investigate her mother when her dad informs Catherine that he doesn’t have her birth certificate. Luca is very handsome, but he gets easily distracted from his job and lets things get out of hand around the building.

Luca and Catherine meet a cast of characters in the apartment building and Luca’s family as they try to figure out her mother. They also break a few laws and Catherine has to go way out of her comfort zone to find out more information. As she gets closer to Luca, she realizes he’s a lot like her father in all the wrong ways.

I really love the found family message in this book. The older residents of the building only want the best for our two main characters. Luca and Catherine both have some abandonment issues with both of them having an absentee parent. There was also just the right amount of magical realism for me!

This book is like soup for my soul. And you all know how much I love soup! 🥣 Thank you @readforeverpub for my gifted ebook.

3.5 stars. I adore Melissa Wiesner's emotional romances-- I know when I begin one that it will break my heart in all the best ways. Wish I Were Here has some substantive undertones, but it is considerably lighter than her other books. It was enjoyable but not nearly as memorable as her other books. For a reader seeking something a bit "lighter," this would be a solid choice.

From a young age, Catherine had to shoulder a great deal of responsibilities. Her father a free spirit whose unstructured lifestyle forced Catherine to become the rigid and ordered person that she was today. As she embarks on starting a new job, Catherine discovers that according to the government, she does not exist. She then sets out to find proof of her existence which results in a wonderful journey of self discovery.

This was a rather charming tale about a woman who began to see her life and herself in a different way as she uncovered secrets from her past. I think that was my favorite part of this story. I totally understood why Catherine grew frustrated with her father, but he did seem to be someone who really loved and cared for her. He was quite young when he became a single father, and Catherine only seemed to see his deficiencies. This search for herself helped her see how he filled her childhood with wonder and made her appreciate the community he built for her.

I also loved Luca and his big Italian family. It was funny the way they seemed to be EVERYWHERE, but wonderful how they were always ready to help each other. Luca was another person Catherine began to see in a different light. She made some snap judgements about him based on her past experiences with her father. But as she spent more time with him, all was revealed. He really was a gem, and I adored him.

There's a part of me that wants to say this book had a magical touch. That magic coming from someone very special. I don't want to say too much about it, but I thought it was very a very sweet part of the story.

Overall, I had a great time with Catherine as she uncovered some family secrets, reconnected with an important part of her past, and found herself along the way. Told with lots of humor, this book both made me laugh and warmed my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Melissa Wiesner is back! After thoroughly enjoying her book The Second Chance Year, I was super excited to read Wish I Were Here. This book was adorable and laugh out loud funny. I enjoyed the mystery of Catherine's lost identity and the romantic tension she had with Luca. The supporting characters were also charming between Mrs. Goodwin, Catherine's dad, and all of Luca's big Italian family. I also enjoyed the mystery and magical realism elements of the story and the ending left me with chills. It was just a really beautiful and heartfelt book.

I am looking forward to Melissa's next book, but in the meantime, I highly recommend you pick up this book! Additonally if you like audiobooks, the audiobook version of this book will be narrated by Helen Laser who is a fantastic narrator!

Many thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

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In this witty and charming love story, a buttoned-up math professor is forced to rely on her carefree doorman when her identity mysteriously disappears....
When we meet Catherine, she's introduced so painfully Type A and when things don't go her way, her lively doorman Luca comes to the rescue. It's obvious Catherine hates relying on other people, and as we learn more about the "why" behind it all, it starts to make complete sense. This is not so much a romance read, similar to The Second Chance Year, in that we get such great character growth without the romance being the leading plot line. We get Catherine having this big self-discovery and dealing with her own anxieties with the support of this amazing found family. I did have a hard time with the almost repetition of all of her concerns - especially highlighting of her dad's career choices - and I was hoping there would be more of a magical realism aspect to the book, but what was included felt special to the story. I loved the ending, but I wish I had loved the beginning more. 
I would still recommend this one if you're in the mood for a little family drama and a pretty resolution with a side of romance, and look forward to seeing what Melissa Wiesner writes next! 
Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa Wienser, and Forever for the eARC copy. All opinions are my own.

I LOVED this book! I thought Luca was so sweet and fun to read! I related a lot to Catherine, and having my identity completely erased like what happens to her in this book would be a NIGHTMARE! I loved the silly elements that added to the story, like the haunted elevator and threats of mafia whackings. The romance in this book was so sweet, and I loved reading Catherine discover who she was and who she wanted to be throughout the story.

Thank you so much to Melissa Wiesner, Forever, and Netgalley for the free eARC of this book!

Wish I Were Here was an okay book! The beginning of the book started off a little rocky. I initially struggled with Catherine's character, particularly her rigidness. As the story progressed, I started to develop a better understanding of her. I thought the whole concept of this story was interesting. The lost identity plotline was fun to read. I liked how the story unfolded with Catherine and Luca. Luca was a great balance to Catherine. Just like Catherine's character, I had problems with Luca at first. Once I got to know his character better through Catherine's eyes, I appreciated his story. I thought the chemistry between Catherina and Luca was fine. I would have liked a little more spark between them. The side characters were alright. Since there were a lot of them, there wasn't a ton of development. I enjoyed Luca's family, especially Uncle Vito. I was happy with the ending and Catherine's development. Having read The Second Chance Year by this author, I think this book could have been a little better. Overall, this was a fast and easy read. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC.

4.5/5 stars

I really enjoyed this. Luca was an especially bright spot. I loved how supportive and kind he was of everyone he interacted with. I very much related to Catherine's need for order and the satisfaction and comfort she got from following the rules. I also loved how Luca was able to access and encourage her to get in touch with a part of herself where she could let her guard down. I thought the subtle magical elements were well done. I also really appreciated that the end of the book showed us Catherine learning balance rather than becoming a totally new person. It felt more realistic that way.

Wish I Were Here by Melissa Wiesner is a cute rom com about Catherine,about to start her dream job as a mathematician, who realizes her identity doesn’t exist. Her building manager Luca helps Catherine solve her issue of her missing identity.

I really enjoyed the cast of characters, especially the other tenants in Catherine’s new building and Luca’s extended Italian family, that just happen to be everywhere. I also enjoyed the magical realism sprinkled in.

This is my second book by Melissa Weisner- I can’t wait to read what she does next. Be sure to pick up Wish I Were Here if you’re looking for a light and fast, with a fun cast of characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an advanced copy of this book!

4.5 stars rounding up to 5. I just love Melissa Wiesner’s writing. I loved Catherine and Luca, and thoroughly enjoyed their adventures trying to recover Catherine’s identity. The magical realism is always a plus for me! I LOVED the found family and community in this one. It was such a fun, feel-good read, and I definitely recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.