Wish You Weren'T Here: A Novel,Used

In this transportive debut, a woman spending a summer in Italy finds her world completely upendedbut it may be the kick shes needed to figure out who she truly wants to be, perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle and Tessa Bailey.Ava Graham's ducks are in a row as she heads off 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 longterm 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 James Massini arriveslateto the airport to pick up Ava as a favor to his aunt and uncle, hes surprised to find that shes not a young coed, but a fascinating woman approaching thirty with a serious superiority complex and a habit of underestimating him. When shes assigned to his class as a TA, he becomes determined to prove to her that there is more to life than plans and lists, no matter how hard she fights with himor how annoyingly charming he finds their banter.Despite the sudden disaster of her life, type A Ava might actually enjoy Italyif only annoyingly carefree James wasnt there, too. As Ava reluctantly lets James try to show her a different way of life in Italy, she begins to find beauty in the chaos. Of course, its when things begin to make sense again that her past comes storming back.With a humorously relatable protagonist and a rich Italian setting, this debut novel is an escapist treat and a necessary reminder that life doesnt always care about the plans weve made for ourselves.