The characters were well thought out and the story was written well. I thought this was an interesting story and an easy read, but I was a little disappointed that the ending seemed so abrupt and left me wanting more.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

You know that feeling when you're on a train, the landscape whizzing by, and you're just waiting for that big, beautiful destination to appear on the horizon? That’s what the first half of this book felt like — tense, electric, full of anticipation. I was all in. Ari was taking me somewhere, and I was curious enough to follow.

But then the train stopped. And it didn’t arrive anywhere. It just... ran out of track.

There’s something intriguing about what Turits tried to do here. I appreciate moral ambiguity when it serves a purpose — when it pulls apart the human condition and says, “Look, it’s messy, but here’s what we can learn.” Instead, we were handed a pile of life experiences that led nowhere. Ari saw things, did things, hurt people — and came out the same person she was at the beginning. She had it in her all along to be this version of herself; she just hadn’t noticed. So... what was the point?

The pacing wasn’t bad — I was invested enough to keep flipping pages — but it’s hard to stay on board when the journey leads in circles. And worst of all? Zero character development. Ari doesn’t grow, she doesn’t reckon with her choices, and the emotional depth that could’ve been mined never quite surfaces.

And then there’s Leah. Honestly, she deserved better. I despise cheating in books (and in life), and the way Lia was collateral damage here made my stomach twist. I don’t need my characters to be morally spotless, but I do need their arcs to mean something.

So, what was this book supposed to be? I still don’t know. I just know it left me frustrated, with a sour taste and a sense of missed potential.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a review.

Went back and forth between rating 2 and 3 stars for this. It wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t good. The pacing seemed uneven, and seemed to drag on a bit. I was not a fan of the ending at all- seemed too abrupt, so I was left feeling unsatisfied.

This book was too good especially the second half was quite fun to read. Ari & Morgan have been together for their whole life but they break up and Ari has no idea what to do now. She is basically having an identity crisis because she is not able to find herself after the breakup.
Eventually Ari accepts a role of PA to a start-up CEO and soon realises her own feeling and has a bi awakening?
Confusing, right but the author wrote a page turner and show that how messy a human can be and how messy it is to love someone!!

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc. this book should be taught on how to do character growth with substance. i thought the writing was so well done i didn't want to stop reading. while the time jumps seemed sudden to me, it never lost me and made sense why she did so.

Just Want You Here by Meredith Turits is a coming-of-age novel featuring a main character who is so self-absorbed and immature, I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Her choices were maddening, and the only reason I finished was to see if she would eventually redeem herself. Unfortunately, she doesn’t.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I have seen some other mixed reviews and I actually really liked the book. I was invested in the characters. I enjoyed the ups and downs. And I can appreciate the ambiguity of the ending. It's a solid read.

I found this story about our desire for human connection, no matter the cost. Two women in love with the same man so that bonds them in ways that become all consuming. This story is about heartache, love what we will do when the hurt is too much. I know this book had mixed reviews, but I liked it, It relatable, heartbreaking, it will break you before the story puts you back together. If you are up for the challenge read this book.

My rating is closer to 3.5-3.75. This book is about Ari, who has just been broken up with by her fiancee - the only man she has ever loved. In an attempt to get over her heartbreak, she throws herself into a new job and quickly finds herself in a relationship with her boss. In addition to being older than she is, he is also married. I didn't love this element of the plot, mostly because I was frustrated by Ari's repeated poor decisions. It definitely felt fast paced at times, but then felt slow at others making it overall an uneven read. I thought the book had potential, but it just didn't deliver.

loved this romance and finding love and remembering love before the one. love the friends and the chemistry between the couple was on fire and loved the banter.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The writer did a great job giving the characters depth and making sure the stories came back full circle by the end. It was a satisfying read. The plot was intense I almost wanted it to be a thriller. I get the main focus is on Ari but each character got their shine and I thought that was perfect. I didn’t enjoy the sudden ending but I liked the way it ended. Overall a good read.

Meredith Turit’s debut novel, Just Want You Here, is a story about second chances and growth but it’s more of a cautionary tale about playing with forbidden, passionate love. Ari, a 28-year-old woman who was pretty and talented, became alone and lost after her boyfriend of 10 years broke up with her. Keeping her head above water, she moved to another city and got hired as an executive assistant to Wells, the CEO of a tech company. But things soon began to turn dark as Ari got involved with Wells, a married man with a son. The happiness and passion they felt were spiked with the pain they caused themselves, their family, and their friends.

This book left me devastated for two days after reading it. It felt like the main character was my sister or a best friend whom I cared for and rooted for, only to watch her make mistakes that destroyed her in the end. In life, it hurts when you see someone you love fall apart. The same pain that this story made me feel. I know Ari is a fictional character but the book developed this parasocial connection with her that triggered a heavy emotional response. This just showed how immersive Turit’s storytelling is.

I like that the pacing of the story is dynamic and matches the tone of the scene. For example, the relationship between Ari and Wells happened so fast that it felt like a match catching fire - instant and intense. But when it came to the characters’ thoughts and retrospection, the pacing slowed down, just enough to understand their revelations and let the emotions sink in. This rhythm makes the Just Want You Here raw and real pulling you into Ari’s highs and lows, making you live through every moment alongside her.

If you love emotional love stories that break your heart and piece it back together, this book is for you. Thank you, Meredith Turits, Little A, and NetGalley, for the ARC.

thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. A coming of age story that was well written. Not my typical genre, but the plot was good.

I really enjoyed this book. A quick book with lots of twist that make you want to read more and hooks you in.

The book had so much potential, but it didn’t deliver in the end. I expected way more from the characters and the story. It’s a real shame because I was ready to love it.

What do you do when the life you planned is falling apart? This book is a relationship study of a woman in her 20's named Ari and the choices she makes when her fiancée Morgan decides to end their relationship. Ari and Morgan have been together since high school and her best friend Summer is with his best friend Ryan. Morgan's mother is also a second mother to Ari and helped her get through some trying times. Ari and Morgan are engaged but haven't made any plans for their wedding and one day Morgan says he wants to end their relationship. He feels things have gone stagnant and they don't have the spark they had when they got engaged. Ari is devastated and has to move back with her mother, who she doesn't get along with.

The next step in Ari's life is getting a job as an assistant to a British tech guru named Wells. Wells is handsome, witty and also married with a toddler son. Ari quickly enters an affair with Wells, going to see him at the basement apartment of the home he shares with his wife. Ari is a passive character and seems to drift along letting things happen to her rather than making plans. Her friend Summer is also not a good person as she seems to be always angry at Ari and is much more devoted to Ari's ex, Morgan. Ari continues to make bad decisions including a choice to become friends with Wells wife, Leah. I enjoyed the exploration of finding out what you want from life and how difficult it is to maintain relationships. I did find the main character frustrating and hoped for some growth in her character which didn't come. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

Just Want You Here explores enmashed relationships formed at a young age and how getting the opportunity to get to know yourself outside of these dynamics can suprise you.

The book is easy to digest and the situations and nuances are relatable.

The pacing felt a bit inconsistent at times, but I think fast leaders would love it. My only real complaint that the characters' personality didn't really come through, they all felt like generic people, and I'm unsure if that's intentional or not.

It's a good bubble bath or travel read.

Just Want You Here was an uneven but intriguing read. The story was engaging and I was interested to know the outcome but the pacing felt uneven and it was difficult to keep reading sometimes. Ultimately I enjoyed that it shook up the typical romance storyline but it did not leave a lasting impact.

The concept behind this novel is extremely compelling, unfortunately the plot was not as compelling and I ultimately did not enjoy it.

2.5!
There is a fine line between introspective and fulfilling vs choppy and anti-climatic story telling and sadly this one didn't hit the mark when it came to engaging writing in my opinion. I wish the characterization and pacing were better when getting to know the characters, so there could have been a formed attachment to them. Some people may enjoy it, but it felt really lackluster and bland to me. I was just waiting for it to be over towards the end because it felt like there was no end point, and the plot was just going on and on. It could be just how I interpreted the characters and story but nonetheless i think there could be mixed opinions about this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Little A for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!