Loved the Italy setting but this story just fell flat for me. After weeks of reading I’m only 35% through because I found I wasn’t ever picking it up. This one just isn’t for me. Thank you to the publisher for the free ebook to review.

Christy Schillig's debut novel, "Wish You Weren't Here," is a compelling dive into the complexities of family dynamics, the lingering impact of childhood trauma, and the pursuit of healing and self-discovery. With a blend of dark humor and poignant insight, Schillig crafts a narrative that is both deeply affecting and surprisingly relatable.

The story centers on Leah, a woman in her early thirties who is grappling with the unresolved wounds of her past. When she reluctantly returns to her hometown for a family reunion, Leah is forced to confront the fractured relationships and buried secrets that have shaped her life. The setting—a small, seemingly idyllic town—serves as the perfect backdrop for a tale where past and present collide, forcing Leah to face the demons she thought she had left behind.

Schillig's writing is sharp and evocative, with a keen eye for detail that brings Leah's internal and external worlds vividly to life. The narrative seamlessly alternates between Leah's present-day struggles and flashbacks to her tumultuous childhood, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of her character. This structure not only keeps the story engaging but also highlights the enduring impact of childhood experiences on adult life.

Leah is a brilliantly flawed protagonist. Her cynicism, vulnerability, and dark humor make her a compelling and relatable character. Schillig does an excellent job of portraying Leah's internal battles, her longing for connection, and her simultaneous fear of intimacy. As Leah navigates awkward family gatherings, uncomfortable truths, and unexpected moments of grace, readers are invited into her journey of self-discovery and reconciliation.

The supporting cast in "Wish You Weren't Here" is equally well-developed, each character adding depth to the story. From Leah's estranged siblings to her well-meaning but overbearing parents, Schillig captures the nuances of family relationships with authenticity and empathy. The interactions among the family members are laced with a blend of tension, humor, and genuine affection, reflecting the complexities inherent in familial bonds.

One of the novel's strengths is its balance of humor and emotional depth. Schillig's use of dark humor provides a counterpoint to the more somber themes, making the narrative both engaging and thought-provoking. This balance ensures that the story remains grounded and accessible, even as it delves into difficult subjects such as mental health, addiction, and forgiveness.

The themes of "Wish You Weren't Here" are universal, touching on the need for acceptance, the courage to face one’s past, and the transformative power of forgiveness. Schillig handles these themes with sensitivity and insight, offering no easy answers but rather a nuanced exploration of the messy, often painful process of healing.

In conclusion, "Wish You Weren't Here" by Christy Schillig is a remarkable debut that combines dark humor, emotional depth, and a keen understanding of human nature. Leah's journey is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, making her story resonate long after the final page. This novel is a must-read for anyone who appreciates a well-crafted narrative about the complexities of family, the scars of the past, and the resilience of the human spirit. Highly recommended for readers seeking a thought-provoking and emotionally rich literary experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an Advanced Reader Copy of Wish you Weren't Here. Unfortunately, I couldn't get into this story. I didn't even make it a quarter of the way through, so I don't have much to share other than it didn't resonate with me and I didn't connect with the characters.

I loved this book! I liked that it took place in Italy and that the author did a wonderful job describing place, atmosphere and characters. Great easy read. I look forward to more books from this author. Take this book with you on vacation.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

When I read what this book was about, I was immediately intrigued! Unfortunately it didn't completely live up to my expectations, but I still enjoyed it!

I really loved this book. She flies to Italy to finish her law degree and she was expecting her boyfriend to propose to her, but instead he breaks up with her. When she goes to Italy she meets this guy and the rest is history.

Author, Christy Schilling hit a walk off home run with this one. I absolutely adored this book. I was grabbed into the whirlwind life of Ava on a Ava goes into a Study abroad school term that finds from the beginning a love/ hate relationship not only with a very handsome lovable professor, James but also with his family, their lifestyle, their friends and the small community of Urbino, Italy. As a whole. The descriptive details of the Urbino countryside, the food and culture. and family made me wish I was there. My words hardly do justice to the author or the book. The beautiful picture her words paint. If you enjoy a perfect romance novel. Get this one to tuck into your beach bag and get swept away. I so highly recommend this book if you enjoy clean romance novels. I give this one two arms up with jazz hands, eight fingers and two thumbs up! Must settle on five stars instead of my recommended ten. Special thanks to the following for an advance unedited copy: This is my own honest opinion.
#NetGalley
#AlcovePress
#ChristySchilling
Publication Date: May 21, 2024

In general aspect, I enjoyed this one. The vacation vibe and the absolute feel about it were making me want to go on a vacation to Italy. Another aspect is the art content, which I find interesting as well.

Anyway, I would also say this also felt underwhelming, especially the last 40% and so.

The romance as well, I feel like the romance didn't really kick that much, when I believe that it could have been so much better if it did considering the chemistry they had.

Another thing, Ava was kind of irritated me, James also weirded me out tbh.

Overall, I think this could have been better.

This was a wonderful story of how the efforts to protect others and yourself can sometimes backfire in the nest of ways. Ava has had some curveballs thrown at her, and she finally gets to fulfill a promise to her mother when yet another curveball is thrown. She will need to roll with the punches in order to find the beauty that is right in front of her. James, on the other hand, sees so much beauty through his camera but fails to see his own worthiness. Sparks fly whenever they are near each other, and I spent much time giggling at the miscommunication and outright snark. I loved the location and how the author beautifully described what the characters were seeing. I felt like I was there. I enjoyed the chemistry between James and Ava and how everyone in her orbit had something to teach her.

Love and Gelato but for adults, in the best way. I think we all should go to Italy to discover what is really important to life.

What an amazing debut! This was the epitome of a wanderlust, jam-packed, wholesome book!

Ava travels to Italy to finish off her law school credits after going through a breakup. James picks her up from the airport as a favor to his uncle & aunt, with whom Ava will be staying. Not only that, but Ava is assigned as a TA in James' class! Hah. The banter these two had was epic.

As these 2 are constantly thrown into each other's paths, they discover their hate is slowly blossoming love now. Set in the gorgeous backdrop of Italy, the scenes will literally transport you there. I loved the descriptions of every little detail.

thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wish You Weren’t Here is a charming contemporary novel that takes you on a journey of self-discovery and second chances. Set against the backdrop of a picturesque coastal town, the story follows our main character Sarah as she navigates the complexities of life, love, and friendship.
Schillig weaves a captivating story that keeps you hooked from the very first page. The plot is rich with emotion, humor, and unexpected twists, making it a delightful read for fans of women's fiction and romance. The small-town setting adds charm to the story, making you feel like you're a part of Sarah's world.
Wish You Weren’t Here is a captivating read that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you longing for more. Christy Schillig has crafted a touching story that reminds us of the power of love and the beauty of second chances. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a heartwarming escape into the world of fiction.

Wish You Weren’t Here by @christyschillig is an unforgettable book about love and finding your true calling! ❤️

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I absolutely LOVED Wish You Weren’t Here!!! It was well-written, romantic, and humorous at times. I enjoyed Ava’s journey of finding her true passion again and exploring Urbino with a handsome man by her side. James is an absolute dreamboat and his journey to follow his dreams was fantastic as well. I adored James’ family and how they support each other too. Wish You Weren’t Here is a must-read that will make you cry, laugh, swoon, and yearn to travel to Italy. 🇮🇹❤️✨

Thank you to @alcovepress and @netgalley for the opportunity to read/review this ARC! 🤩📚

#wishyouwerenthere #christyschillig #review #bookrecommendation #bookobsessed #instabook #booklovers #instabooks #fiction #readingtime #currentlyreading #readmorebooks #author #amreading #novel #ilovebooks #booksofig #romance #bookishlove #authorsofinstagram #readersofig #igbooks #writersofinstagram #literature #bookaesthetic #love #booklife

Oh my goodness, what a beautiful, poetic, perfect debut this is! My heart is so full after going on this journey with Ava. While this book includes a lot of my favorite tropes- forced proximity, enemies to lovers, etc, this book is so, so much more than a just a romcom with a list of tropes. It is a beautiful journey of self-discovery and healing that I just adored. The way that James, who was in his own battle between protecting his heart and handing it over, was able to be present for Ava through her journey was so sweet and just fueled their love story in the perfect way.
The perfect backdrop, found family, and artistic landscape of this novel just highlighted an already beautiful love story and I'm so happy the world gets to fall in love with this one very soon.

"Wish You Weren't Here" by Christy Schillig transports readers to the charming streets of Urbino, Italy. While I faced some challenges with the Italian language in the book, I found the main female character Ava Grahamun's likable demeanour from the beginning to be a unique approach. Although the storyline lacked a dynamic flow, the vivid descriptions of the setting were the highlight for me. However, I wished for more depth and development in the story content. Thank you, NetGalley and Christy Schillig for the ARC.

I really like the cover and the blurb, but the book didn't work for me.

The first chapter is basically the blurb, like we know what's going to happen.

Ava seemed so meek in the first chapter. She couldn't even confront or properly talk to Ethan as he self planned a break in their relationship in a ridiculous manner. But in the second chapter when she meets James, she is suddenly carefree, straightforward and outspoken (calling a stranger who has come to receive her an asshole). And, I didn't understand why James presumed Ava was going to be a teenager, and was extremely surprised that she turned out to be in her 30s.
Couldn't connect with the characters. And writing style as the writing seemed too straightforward for a romantic fiction. There are so many unnecessary dialogues. Sadly, this book didn't interest me so I left it unfinished. You might like it if you're a patient reader.

Thank you for the ARC. Not posting the review anywhere else.

Ava Graham is a woman in control. She plans to go to Italy to complete her final law school credits and fulfill a promise she made to her late mother five years ago. Ava expects her long-term boyfriend to propose before her trip, but instead of giving her a ring, he suggests they use her time abroad as a “break” before settling down. When she arrives in Italy, she meets James Massini who she believes does not understand a word of English. After she has finished venting her anger, she realises that he did understand her and that he is the nephew of the couple, whose house she will be staying at. When she’s assigned to his art history class as an assistant, they find themselves growing closer and closer.
I was so surprised to find that this was a debut novel, as this romance was so beautifully told, against the amazing backdrop of Urbino. I could feel the history, charm, and atmosphere of the town, falling in love with it as Ava did. I loved the character of James, who despite his past, was able to find such love and comfort in his family and Urbino. I also took great delight in all the secondary characters and how they embraced Ava, as part of their family, making me long for this way of life. This book was a sheer delight to read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and Christy Schillig for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wish You Weren't Here was charming and heartwarming. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. I read the whole book in one afternoon.
I loved Ava and James, they had great chemistry, and they were charismatic and interesting.

I would definitely like to read more from Christy.
I highly recommend.

4 stars from me. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This book! Wow I loved it so much. I loved how descriptive the author was about the Italian towns and culture. It truly made me wish I was in Italy eating all the pasta and drinking all the wine.

I loved both Ava and James, their relationship, and Ava’s growth as a character. Tammy was also great and would love to see more about her.

I love the setting of this book. I enjoyed the two main characters for the most part, what I didn’t enjoy was the will they won’t they at the end of the bulk of the chapters. I cannot count how many times one of them walked away from the other right at the end of a chapter. I respect that Ava had an almost fiancé back home but let’s be honest he was a jerk. She should not have needed to see him in photos with another woman to realize that the relationship was probably going nowhere. I feel like overall this book didn’t settle right with me. Something felt off, maybe it was the writing, something about the romance itself, just something didn’t resonate with me like it should have. It could be that I am not into slow burn romances, but I don’t feel like that is the case. Sadly, this book was just a miss for me.
Thank you to Alcove Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.