This is my second read by this author and it was excellent! Catherine Lipton is a straight-laced mathematician about to start a tenure-track professorship at the local university. Everything is going right on schedule until she suddenly loses her identity. In other words, government records say she doesn't exist. Suddenly, her ordered life is in turmoil, and the only person who endeavors to help is the doorman of her apartment building, Luca Morelli. Luca is Catherine's opposite in every way. Always late, distracted, and seemingly unambitious. But he's there and he's willing, so she accepts. Over the next several days, with her life off the rails and Luca full of unorthodox ideas and shady connections, Catherine starts questioning everything (and everyone) she thought she knew. Wish I Were Here is about personal growth, love, family relationships, and discovering what is most important. All with a hint of magic. I recommend it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Absolutely loved this. So fun and so funny! Laughed my way through the whole story. A very quick read. The ultimate opposites attract - seriously, they could not have been more different. Add to that found family, growth with both main characters, great side characters (lots of them, but it didn't feel like it) and you've got yourself a winner. Highly recommend.

After reading The Second Chance Year I was so excited for another book from Melissa Wiesner! Plus the cover on this one is stunning!

This book has found family, self discovery while touching on themes of grief.
I found Catherine unlikeable but Luca came through and stole the show for me! His golden retriever personality along with his strong family ties stole my heart!
While the pacing slowed at times and a few plot points felt a bit predictable, the overall message was so heartfelt.

Thank you Melissa Wiesner, forever books publishing and netgalley for an advance readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

charming mix of romance and magical realism. The story follows Catherine, a mathematician whose life is upended when she finds out she’s been erased from all records. Her only hope is Luca, her doorman, who is both annoying and endearing.

The chemistry between Catherine and Luca is fantastic, and their journey is filled with humor and heart. The plot is engaging, with a perfect blend of mystery and romance, and the magical elements add a unique touch. Wiesner’s writing is witty and touching, making this book a delightful read. If you enjoy stories about unexpected love and self-discovery, you’ll love this one!

A main character, who doesn't realize how much she needs a reset in her life, a handsome but scattered doorman with an artistic soul, and the meddling older residents of DeGreco easily make up one of my new favorite books. Though (unlike my sister 😂), I could not relate to Catherine's rule following ways, I loved her boldness that she seemed to hide at the beginning of the story. The way she comes into her own throughout this adventure easily makes her a character you want to root for. And LUCA!! Oh that goofy, tattooed doorman who wore his heart on his sleeve stole my heart. I loved how Melissa weaved magical realism and mystery into a story that at its core is about how a terrible situation can become a spark of beauty and truly help us find who we are meant to be.

Catherine is an organized and always on time person who has been dealt a mysterious hand. One day as she wishes to be "nobody" she finds her identity has been wiped from existence due to a fraudulent birth certificate. This leads her on a journey to finding the person who has her only legitimate copy. With the help of Luca Morelli, a goofy but charming door man for her apartment complex she breaks a series of rules in order to find her identity and also find what matters to her most. After focusing on career for so long, Catherine finds that community may be just what she needed. This read was heartfelt, endearing, and I could feel the careful bouts of anxiety and as someone who has to always be early I could not help but connect with Catherine on a spiritual level. Also Luca Morrelli is a man, a man, a MAN!

I didn’t find Catherine super likable at the beginning but the way the story unravels itself was quite lovely and sweet. I loved the supporting characters and found family community aspect to this book. Reminded me of the lonely hearts bookclub

The cover is what drew me into the book but the book was slow and it took me forever to get into. The character development was amazing.

This started out so slow that I nearly dnf'ed a couple of times.
It's a pretty mellow story, with a light magical realism element to it. I think it can be summarized as an adventure for Catherine, supported by Luca. She's the type of person whose life is ruled by rules and regulations, while he's more of the laid-back type - not irresponsible, but he places more importance on the human aspect than anything else.
It was a lovely read, although I did skim a bit to get to the core of the story.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

3.75 ⭐️ 1 🌶️

Read As An Arc

🎪 Magical Realism
🎪 Opposites Attract
🎪 Found Family
🎪 Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine
🎪 Self-Discovery
🎪 Missing Identity
🎪 Meddling Grandparents


This book was cute, and I think the overall plot was great, but not meant to be for the romance genre.

Catherine and Luca are the definition of opposites attract and if I had to relate them, they are definitely a Chandler & Monica together which I love! The originality of this story line is refreshing! Catherine finds romance but she is truly falling in love with her surroundings as well. Luca cares for everyone which is great, and he is so charming too! I think both of the characters were created well, that I liked from start to finish.

The one thing that I think should’ve been included a bit more is some open door spice. Everything is all closed door and hinted at. Truthfully, it was also a bit predictable at times, and some scenes were just silly like they were just added in as fillers.

Overall, it had cute moments through the book, loved Catherine’s connection to the circus, Luca has tattoos (need I say more?), and it has a sweet, overall message of identity, self-discovery, and enjoying life to the fullest!



* Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

4.5 stars I love the found family and sweet/mischievous older characters in this story. Even sweeter than the romance (Luca is swoon-worthy!) is Catherine realizing that she had family all along, even if they didn't meet her childhood expectations. Thank you to the author for including me on one of her traveling ARC teams - seeing everyone else's little notes and comments made it even more fun to read.

Thank you so much to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Wish I Were Here had a very intriguing premise, a range of eclectic characters, and an important lesson to tie everything up! Though I didn't connect with the protagonist too much, I still found myself interested in where the plot was going, and how the story would be solved. The romance was sweet, and the message, though heard before, was still nice to read about and is always prevalent for people who lose sight of themselves while focusing primarily on work and nothing else. The magical realism element was a great touch, as well. Overall, very cute!

Thank you Net Galley and Forever Publishing for providing me with a copy of “Wish I Were Here” to read and provide my honest review. The description and the comps had me immediately sold on “Wish I Were Here”. “Wish I Were Here” was everything I wanted it to be and more! I really enjoyed reading this book. I’m always a fan of opposites attract and a slightly paranormal romance, and “Wish I Were Here” did both of these so well. This book managed to discuss some deep topics, like parental abandonment, but still maintained its lighthearted and fun feel. I was so pleasantly surprised by the found family element; it is such an underrated trope.

I thought that Catherine and Luca were such a sweet duo. Catherine was a really dynamic fmc. I feel like she really grew so much, and I loved that her growth wasn’t because of Luca, but with Luca. I love an mmc that’s just so caring and genuine (and tattooed!). Luca’s extended family were such a funny and heartwarming addition to the story, that you wouldn’t expect from the Mafia. The themes of community were really touching and inspiring.

I really thought “Wish I Were Here” was a lot of fun, and left me feeling hopeful and happy. The comps were spot on; we got our slightly paranormal Ashley Poston vibe, and the wholesome Sophie Cousins romance. It was such a sweet story and I will definitely be reading more of Melissa Wiesner’s writing in the future!

Wish I Were Here by Melissa Wiesner
Standalone Women’s Fiction/ Romance
Releases 10/15/24

My thanks to Netgalley and Forever for providing an advance copy for review purposes. Ana’s Attic accepts no compensation for reviews, and all reviews contain my honest opinion.

I picked up Wish I Were Here by Melissa Wiesner on NetGalley as soon as I saw it. I enjoyed her writing in My Second Chance Year and was excited to read another one of her books.

Catherine is a mathematician, precise and organized, shaped by a childhood raised by her single dad—a literal clown (not the creepy makeup kind, but one who juggles, makes balloon animals, and entertains). Growing up, she moved constantly and often skipped school to follow the circus with him. Now, she’s back in town to take a position teaching in the college’s math program.

Luca is the doorman at her new apartment building. He’s cheerful, always happy to help anyone, and he’s her polar opposite: he’s late when she’s early, messy when she’s neat, and outgoing while she’s an introvert. It drives her crazy that he’s so busy charming and assisting the older residents that he often neglects his doorman duties.

On her first day at work, the university informs her of a glitch in her paperwork—it appears she doesn’t exist, and all of her documents seem forged. Freaked out, she worries about losing the job she just moved for. Then, things get worse: her credit cards stop working, her bank account is frozen, and even the Social Security office says she doesn’t exist.

With no one else to turn to, she reluctantly accepts Luca’s offer of help. He has plenty of contacts—and a family with ties to the local mafia. Suddenly, Catherine, the buttoned-up mathematician, finds herself talking to mobsters, breaking and entering, and, against all odds, actually laughing. Luca is helping her shed the uptight persona, transforming her into someone who connects with and cares about her community.

Likes:
•Wonderful side characters.
•I absolutely loved Luca.
•Found family.
•A ton of character growth.
•Funny banter.

Dislikes:
•It was a strange “magic”.
•I loved Luca, but never really got to know him more than surface-level.
•More women’s fiction than romance.

The Down & Dirty:
“Wish I Were Here” by Melissa Wiesner was an okay read for me. I never felt like putting it down, but I also wasn’t rushing to pick up my Kindle. While I enjoyed the side characters, I never quite felt the chemistry between the main couple. Now, two weeks later, I honestly can’t remember if there was any spice in the book. From what I’ve gathered, this author leans more toward women’s fiction with a hint of romance rather than a full-blown romance. The focus is really on the personal growth of the FMC, and I did appreciate watching Catherine gradually warm up and learn to let go.

Rating: 3 Stars

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕚𝕤𝕥:
Type-A mathematician Catherine Lipton's ordered life unravels when she discovers she's been erased from government records, making her effectively non-existent. With no help from her free-spirited dad or her university, she reluctantly turns to Luca Morelli, her charming but seemingly unreliable doorman.

As Catherine enlists Luca's well-connected Italian family, she embarks on a wild journey involving Mafia connections, hospital break-ins, and unexpected fun. Along the way, she grows closer to Luca and begins to discover a new side of herself she never anticipated.

𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
🧲 𝘖𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵
✨ 𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺
🎨 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘔𝘊
☀️ 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘺/𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦
🫶🏼 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺
💫 𝘛𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤

𝕊𝕚𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕍𝕚𝕓𝕖𝕤:
📚 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 ʙʏ ᴀsʜʟᴇʏ ᴘᴏsᴛᴏɴ
📚 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 ʙʏ sᴏᴘʜɪᴇ ᴄᴏᴜsᴇɴs

𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
I love Melissa Wiesner’s writing. She effortlessly creates stories of self-discovery, friendship, found family, and heartwarming romance.

This was a sweet, big-hearted story centered around a woman discovering what’s really important in her life. Catherine is workaholic, rule-following math professor. When she unexpectedly loses her identity, she is forced to rely on her (seemingly) unreliable doorman to help set every thing straight. Luca, as well as some of the lively residents of the building, help Catherine see that there is more to life than organization and deadlines.

The only thing that fell a little flat for me was the romance itself. I wanted a little more chemistry between Luca and Catherine, and would have loved for the romance to play a bigger part of the book overall. Despite that, this was still a great read, full of heart and a sprinkle of magic!

𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (𝟯.𝟱/𝟱)

𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
🫑 (𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆)

Thanks to Netgalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for access to this E-ARC! Loved this so much! Amazing cozy vibes & loved the characters. New fav author!

Synopsis:

Type-A mathematician Catherine Lipton, grew up with a free-spirited single dad who worked p/t as a clown. Now, her carefully calculated life goes awry when she realizes she’s disappeared from the government’s records. Her one offer of help is from Luca Morelli (of a well connected Italian family), her attractive but aggravating doorman who spends more time flirting with Catherine’s neighbors than he does enforcing the building rules. She finds herself growing closer to Luca, who makes her laugh and challenges her well-ordered ways. As Catherine begins to unravel the mystery behind her missing identity, she may discover that the “real” Catherine is someone she never expected.

Review:

This book was one with a cast of characters. There were lots of funny, spirited, heartwarming characters who all played an important role in the story. It was a story of Catherine's personal growth journey as she learns to open her mind and see beyond the daily grind. What I thought was beautiful about the story was the homage to our elders - I find a lot of times in the Western world, we don't value the experience/history of our older generations so it was nice to see a story about doing just that. The romance definitely took a back seat in this story, so that's good to set that expectation when you pick this book up.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4

Thank you to Forever for my ARC!

I really tried with this one, but unfortunately, it ended up being a DNF for me. The description was so promising, but it ultimately felt a lot less magical and more of a bureaucratic nightmare. I did like the character of Catherine quite a bit, so I am hoping this one works better for others!

This was such a fun little read. I went into it mostly blind, but once I started reading I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. The story centers on Catherine, a stereotypically type-A math professor who was raised by her single father (who happens to be a professional clown). After scattered and irresponsible doorman Luca almost ruins her shot at a prestigious job interview, things get even crazier when Catherine's identity disappears from all official computer systems. The reader is taken on an irresistible journey as Catherine and Luca get to know each other and seek to prove Catherine's identity so she can get on with her life.
What I really loved about this story is that it didn't feel like something I've read before. The disappearing identity storyline provided lots of situational humor and a fun backdrop to the developing romance. I also enjoyed the character development of Catherine in particular, and the endearing nature of Luca that we get to see more of over the course of the book.
I didn't love the magical realism/supernatual elements. The ending was a little too syrupy sweet for my taste and felt a bit overdone.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this! Recommended for fans of Sophie Cousens.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own. Wish I Were Here releases on October 15.

3 stars for Melissa Wiesner's Wish I Were Here - a romcom of finding love where you least expect it.

We meet Catherine, a mathematician whose life is always in order, is always early everywhere, and lives her life by the rules. Little does she know that her life is about to be turned upside down when her identity disappears. With the help of always late, distracted, and charming doorman Luca, with a lot of adventures, a couple of discoveries, and a big Italian family, Luca and Catherine will find their way back to who she is and discover new things about herself in the process.

The book had a very interesting plot - but I did not find myself engaged with the characters or the couple. I was cheering more for Catherine's own path of self discovery than I was for Luca and Catherine as a couple. I found myself more engaged in the second part of the book, once the story started moving, than at the beginning.

All in all, the book was entertaining. Luca was adorable and easy to fall in love with. Catherine was complex and closed off, and it was great to see her develop into someone more open and loving throughout the story.

Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy of this book for my honest review.