Just the sweetest story with such interesting characters. The story evolved throughout from a simple mishap to paths crossing and connections being made throughout. I really enjoyed Wish I Were Here!

Overall this was a nice story about self discovery with a bit of magical realism. The main character Catherine is a very organized and rule following person due to having grown up with a lack of structure and a stable home. Her dad is a juggling performer and they constantly moved because they didn't have enough money to pay the bills and he rarely enforced any rules so she studied hard to become a mathematics professor. Right before starting her new job her profile disappears from the university and government and she needs to prove her existence.

The doorman at her apartment building Luca, offers to help her as he has family connections everywhere. He is the opposite of Catherine, he's late all the time, sleeps by his desk when he bothers to be there and has a big personality. As this is all she sees at first Catherine forms her own judgement and opinions on Lucas without knowing him that well, I think that is what I didn't like much about her at the beginning. But along the way they start to develop feelings for one another and Catherine learns there is more to life than just focusing on your work. She finds a community with the building residents and Luca. Even though there is some romance, the story is definitely more about Catherine's self discovery and growth so their relationship felt like an afterthought. I also feel like the relationship with her mom felt unfinished and even though I understand the reasons her dad didn't want to talk about her I found it really off putting how he kinda brushed her off when Catherine's job and livelihood was at stake.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

I truly enjoyed the quirkiness of the novel. It’s unlike anything I’ve read, with a splash of magical realism, and silly side characters. It’s a cosmopolitan of old people, Luca’s very large extended family (he seems to have a family member literally everywhere Catherine and Luca go), and Catherine’s own father, that you find yourself enjoying the zaniness of it all. The magical realism was fun, where Catherine interacts with the residents of her apartment complex , by the end of the novel you wonder: are they really alive???

What didn’t work:
Sadly, the chemistry between Catherine and Luca didn’t feel real. I was at a bit of a loss when all of sudden they were kissing. Literally had to pause and go back a few pages to try and figure out when and why this happened. They felt more like good friends. Plus, Catherine herself is somewhat of an off-putting and a bit of an unlikeable character. Her dad too is over the top and her birth mother was even more unpleasant than Catherine.

As for the story itself, there was a lot going on in the book. The plot essentially is about Catherine losing her identity (literally). But there are so many other ingredients and spices being thrown into the mix (I’ll let you discover those) that you start to lose the flavor of what you’re experiencing.

Even though this one wasn’t completely for me, romance readers who enjoy opposites attract, quirky side characters, and the found family trope, then make sure to add Wish I Were Here to your TBR.

Catherine has finally figured it all out. She got a new apartment and is about to start a new job. She’s all set. Then her carefully calculated life starts falling apart. One thing after another goes awry and at the social security office she discover there’s no evidence she exists at all. Forced to make quick work of finding her birth certificate Catherine reluctantly accepts help from Luca a the doorman at her building with more connections then anyone could’ve expected. Forced to step out of her comfort zone Catherine may discover that the “real” her is someone she never expected.

I have to start off with the plot. It’s unique, it’s fun and most importantly a good staring point that can easily be built upon. For obvious reasons Catherine gets slightly obsessed with solving the mystery of her lost identity which made the beginning of the story slightly monotonous. However as the search moves forward the book gets more interesting. Catherine goes thru some life altering events that has a big impact on her character development which is my favorite part of the book. And there’s also the blooming relationship between Catherine and Luca. They’re really good together despite all their differences.

There are so many interesting personalities in this one, all of Lucas family members, the sweet seniors living in the neighborhood and Catherine’s dad. I’d love to see another book from the same universe. The ending surprised me a bit so that was a pleasant surprise. I’ll definitely check out some of Weisners other books after reading this one!

Read this if you like
💙Found family
🔥Opposites attract
✨Character growth
📖Romance with a touch of mystery & fantasy

Everything is falling into place for Catherine. She's a new math professor and finally has her own apartment. She's as straight laced as they come, as opposed to her clown father, her non existent mother., and her doorman, Luca, who never seems to be doing his actually job. Then she ceases to exist, meaning there's no documentation in the government systems of her. Luca is determined to help. This is a great book!

A little bit of fairy dust is sprinkled over this opposites attract romance. Catherine is a math professor trying to make her life as orderly as possible, while Luca lives in chaos, whimsically changing plans and living outside the rules. I loved Weisner's The Second Chance Year and was excited to read this follow up. Both books have a little magical realism (Ashley Poston meets Alice Hoffman). This book is shorter and less complex. The twist wasn't hard to figure out. The story maybe not so inventive. But like the old school butterscotch candies in the book, it was an enjoyable, sacchrine bite. I was rooting for the likeable MCs the whole way. 3.75 stars. Thanks to Net Galley and Forever Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wish I Were Here by Melissa Wiesner was a cute romance. I thoroughly enjWish I Were Here by Melissa Wiesner was a cute romance. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Thank you NetGalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
oyed it!
Thank you NetGalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Finally a night to do what I've been wanting to which is fall into the rest of Luca and Kitty Cats story. Yet again #melissawiesner had me just like with #secondchanceyear. One of my favorite things about Wiesner is that her story lines are so unique and yet still follow so many traits of your fave rom com tropes. #netgalley #arc.

Catherine loses her identity and goes on a journey of self-discovery with her doorman as her sidekick. He has tattoos. The book will remind you that he has tattoos at least 100 times, and that is his main personality trait. Catherine begins a romance with this man believing he’s irresponsible and incompetent, and possibly seeing someone else in the building. She never took the time to get to know him. It is in the last 6% that she realizes he’s not quite all he seems from the surface. If you’re looking for a romance this might not be the book for you. If you’re looking for a story about a woman having an identity crisis with mommy AND daddy issues—this could be the place.

I was expecting this to be a bit kooky and Ashely Poston-ish, and it was in a way. 3.5 stars.

I loved this book so much, it had me hooked from the very first page!

Catherine Lipton, is a Type-A mathematician whose life spirals out of control when she suddenly disappears from all government records and the only person who can help is her doorman, Luca Morelli.

The dynamic between Catherine and Luca is pure magic. She's all about order and precision, while he's a laid-back flirt who seems to know everyone.

Their opposites-attract chemistry is so fun and their banter had me laughing out loud. Despite their differences, they make an incredibly perfect couple!

This book is definitely one of my new favorites and a must-read for anyone who loves a good romantic comedy!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Picture this: you walk into orientation for your dream job, and they tell you didn't get approved because you *do not exist*. What would you do? Well if you're Catherine, you're lucky enough to have Luca as your doorman. With Luca's enthusiasm for life, giant family, and endearing love of others, he helps Catherine find her identity.

When I requested this arc, I had no idea that it was set in Pittsburgh or the author was from Pittsburgh! That was such a pleasant surprise. I rarely see books set here, so it was fun to recognize the areas described & see my city in a new light. 💛

Catherine is one of us girls - the ones who have their daily planner set to the hour, minute, second that things need to be done. If you know, you know. I felt such a fondness in my heart for her just because of this. As she dives into her past & her identity, we see where it comes from & slowly learn the joy of letting things go. SWEET LUCA. you’re kidding 😭 he’s literally so adorable and kind and pure. Truly a genuine, good person in his soul. He cares so deeply about each person he meets, yet he remains so humble and kind.
I adored the magical aspect of this book as much as I loved the older characters. I had a permanent smile while reading. I can’t imagine losing my identity, but I certainly have wished I could just be nobody with no responsibilities before. At first, the dad’s job aspect seemed very random to me, but as we learn more and more it makes so much sense. Plus, it’s a great representation of life. Nothing is ever as it seems on the surface. It matters more about people & how you treat them than any perceived “success” in life. Family is found. There is joy in letting go.

Overall this was a sweet romance with a dash of magic & a great message that anyone can learn from.

Thank you to Melissa Wiesner, Forever Pub, and NetGally for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Catherine and Luca are extremely different from one another, which is really the main focus of this book (although the identity issue and journey to resolve it are very much present in the plot). Together they are very much uptight vs. slacker energy. Catherine is the parentified only child of a free-wheeling dad and absentee mom, and she's presented initially as very dry and rigid. Luca is presented as charming and immature and devil-may-care, which doesn't really change over the course of the book although we do learn more about why both of them are the way they are. Luca irritated me in the beginning, when he was deliberately pushing Catherine's buttons in a pigtail-pulling kind of way. Actually they both felt like caricatures in the beginning, and that made it harder for me to sink into the story, although I did warm up to the both of them as more of their backgrounds and motives were uncovered. The way the premise was executed helped, presenting a mystery for them to solve together. But they just seemed so mis-matched, and because the book was written from Catherine's POV it felt like there wasn't enough to explain why Luka was so chaotic. Unfortunately as the book went on the initial annoyance stayed with me, and I couldn't shake the feeling that the message here is that Catherine is the only one who needed to change herself and her attitude and her understanding of Luca in order to be happy in their relationship. I'm probably missing the author's intended message here, but I really felt for Catherine and how her chaotic upbringing with her free-spirited father shaped her rigid worldview and her cautious approach to relationships. And no matter how hot Luka is, it would take a lot for Catherine to trust that he isn't just like her dad, whereas Luca didn't seem to have the same amount of emotional baggage to overcome to meet her in the middle. Nor did he seem to feel any sense that he needed to make any changes; rather, he was presented as patiently waiting for her to become her "true self" and realize that she didn't need to trap herself in a box. While I applaud that sentiment as an overall approach to life, it feels uneven when it's in a relationship dynamic. It's possible I'm over-thinking it, but it felt like the emotional work that needed to happen was weighed much too heavily on Catherine's end and Luca just got to keep being sexy and adorable and scattered (albeit he had altruistic reasons for the seemingly chaotic way he lived his life). I gave this book 3 stars but it's closer to 3.5. It would have been a higher rating if not for that conflict and the mixed feelings their relationship gave me, as the overall writing was good and I did invest in wanting to see everything through to the end. Overall a sweet opposites-attract closed door romance focusing on found family, with a bit of a mystery and a large supporting cast. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an Ebook ARC.

I loved this book so much! It grabbed me from the very beginning and kept hold of me the entire way through. Catherine goes on such a beautiful journey while she literally goes on a journey to find herself but ends up finding so much more along the way. Luca is the ultimate cinnamon roll MMC and I couldn’t get enough. I was truly sorry to see this book end. What a fantastic read!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!

What a great romcom!! I enjoyed this book so much. A first for me by this author but will not be my last! Wow!! So good!! I loved the characters and they worked so well together.

I didn't love this. The cover is so cute, but the story didn't match. I didn't love the main character and the ending was disappointing.

This was a 6 star read for me! It was absolutely amazing and I fell in love from the very first page!

This book feels like curling up with your favourite snack while watching a romcom. The characters, the vibes, the plot are all immaculate. The way that I was giggling and kicking my feet throughout this entire story was just perfection. Never before has a book made me want to move to a city where I can live out the exact life that Luca and Catherine do (maybe with a little less math though).

If you’re looking for a fun, sweet, and deeply moving book about setting the right priorities and putting people first this is the book for you.

Thanks to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of Wish I Were Here. I was able to read Second Chance Year as an ARC and was so excited to get early access to this book!

Catherine is on the verge of her dream job when her identity goes missing. Luca, the doorman for her apartment building, jumps right in to help her try to solve the mystery of her missing identity and help get it back.

First, Luca is a doll. There was certainly a grumpy/sunshine element that you could read between Catherine and Luca, if you enjoy that trope. I think that at various points in the story and Catherine and Luca really complement each other. I was definitely laughing out loud at a few moments throughout their journey to solve the mystery of Catherine's birth certificate. I also really enjoyed the side characters, Mrs. Goodwin, Catherine's Dad, etc. I was excited for the fantastical/magical element but the twist at the end left something to be desired. Luca and Catherine's personal journey were the best aspects of the story for me.

I'm still very glad I had the opportunity to read this book, and I'm looking forward to future books by Melissa Wiesner.

This was a sweet light read. I enjoyed the slow romance and found the characters endearing.


Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy, my opinions are my own.

Magical realism chick lit with a closed-door romance. I like the black cat/golden retriever dynamic, and this book has that, although Luca is a poorly sketched MMC, so it’s hard to develop strong feelings toward his character. Catherine, the FMC, is a much more developed character, and her plight pulls at your heartstrings. There’s a heartwarming message about community, and plenty of cute old people, but ultimately it’s a little bland for my personal tastes. I could see this book performing well with an older or more conservative demographic than my own.

4 stars in everyday overall life, 5 stars in goodreads, new release life.

Really cute, magical, filled with characters that I hope stay happy.

Thank you #netgalley