Wish You Were Here

Our Review

WISH YOU WERE HERE by Renee Carlino is the type of book that sucks you right in. Especially if you’re a Lavern and Shirley fan. Best friend humor drew me in while Charlotte and Helen party one night after work. When they meet a cute guy who seems lost, Helen can’t help but encourage her shy friend Charlotte to hit on him. Considering he’s looking at Charlotte like he’s experiencing love at first sight, Charlotte gives in to Helen’s push out the door.

Renee Carlino’s writing style calls to me. I don’t usually read her type of books, but I can’t resist anything with her name on it. She has a real sense of the unusual, where she puts people together in layers. The characters are interesting, funny, and full of issues. They’re people I care about immediately, and I’m hooked from beginning to end.

Helen and Charlotte have been roommates for years and now they’re working at a dumpy diner as waitresses. I laughed out loud at their antics at work, easily imagining their surroundings. Their conversations are fresh and funny, exactly how you’d imagine besties to be.

When Charlotte meets Adam, I immediately sensed something was off. He was sweet and unassuming, so I felt Charlotte could trust him. But there was his lost puppy dog persona that seemed like an accident waiting to happen. Each chapter, another layer is revealed, and I couldn’t stop reading.

The fact that Adam is an artist sealed the deal for me. His actions intrigued me even more, so it’s understandable that I read this book cover to cover as fast as I could. But that’s just the beginning. Where the story goes after Charlotte and Adam meet is a roller coaster. This book covers subjects I could never fathom in my lifetime. It’s heartbreaking, romantic, and soul-sucking. And, it’s beautiful. Saying more than that will spoil it for you, and I hope you read this book to find out why.

WISH YOU WERE HERE is one of the best books I read in 2017. It took me forever to write the review because I needed to read the book a second time to get my thoughts together. I required distance to see if the book simply romanced me before I knew what happened. It’s unpredictable, and the emotion is intense. I concede that WISH YOU WERE HERE is as brilliant the second time as it was the first time I read it. The only problem I have with author Renee Carlino is that I can’t decide which book off her backlist to read next. Run and get this book. You can thank me later.

A Recommended Read!

For more Renee Carlino goodness, read my review of AFTER THE RAIN.