Wish You Were Here by Renee Carlino Published by Atria Books Publication Date: August 15th 2017
Pages: 320
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Charlotte has spent her twenties adrift, floating from interest to interest, job to job, and guy to guy, searching for a spark but never quite finding it. All she knows is that she won’t discover it working as a waitress at a pies-and-fries joint in Los Angeles or living with her fun but aimless best friend in a tiny apartment in the Arts District.
Then Charlotte collides with Adam, a gorgeous and soulful painter who seems just as lost as she feels. Their instant connection turns into a midnight drink… and a whirlwind night of champagne, Chinese food, and the kind of conversation that only happens in romantic comedies. But the next morning, Adam gives Charlotte the cold shoulder, leaving her confused and hurt—and wondering if the few odd moments between them the night before were red flags in disguise.
Months later, Charlotte hasn’t been able to shake Adam, so she decides to find out what happened the morning after their magical night together. This fateful decision rewrites their wild love story, but what Charlotte doesn’t know yet is that the ending has already been written.
Cocktails and Books received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.
Every once in a while there is a book that not only you can’t put down but it raises emotions that just cause you to reflect on your own choices in life and would you be able to do what is needed for those you love. Wishing You Were Here did exactly that for me and then some.
Charlotte has spent her 20s with no direction or really any ambition; she also hasn’t had a love life to speak of either. Then when Adam shows up unexpectedly in her life the night they spend together was as perfect as she as ever experienced – that is until the next morning when he kicks her out. Now swearing off men until she meets Seth many months later. Seth could be just what she needs but she still hasn’t forgotten Adam the sexy artist and the one perfect night. Then when Charlotte learns what really happened that night Charlotte finally goes after what she really wants and risks it all.
I want to be very careful with my review because I don’t want to give anything away. What I think Ms. Carlino does a fantastic job of, is taking her readers on a journey with a woman who in all honesty needed a wake-up call and she got one. Told completely from Charlotte’s POV you are transported to her world and her journey and ultimately her feeling on love and loss. The exposition is so well done that I could see what she did especially when she is looking at Adam’s paintings. We get to see how her everyday relationships start to mature and change along with her communication with her family especially her brother and father. The dialog is sharp and witty between the characters which I love. You will find yourself both laughing at times and crying (keep the tissue) handy and ultimately rooting for everyone this story touches upon.
I am so excited I found this story – it is so worth the time and possibly the sleepless night to read it.
About Renee Carlino
I’m the author of Sweet Thing, Sweet Little Thing, Nowhere But Here, After the Rain and my latest novel, BEFORE WE WERE STRANGERS. I’m a California native currently residing in a beach town in Southern California where I live with my husband, our two boys, and our sweet dog June
