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Wish You Weren't Here
Juliette doesn’t hate Priya Pendley.
At least, not in the way teen movies say she should hate the hot popular girl. They don’t do cat fights, love triangles, or betrayal. To survive their intertwined small town lives, they agree to a truce: complete group projects without fighting, don’t gossip to mutual friends, and stand on opposite sides of photos so it’s easy to crop each other out.
Priya seems to have everything during the school year—social media stardom, the handsome track captain boyfriend, and millions of adoring fans. And Juliette is at peace with that, because she has Fogridge Sleepaway Camp, the one place she never feels like “too much.”
But Juliette’s dreams of five Priya-free weeks in paradise are shattered when her rival shows up on move-in day... as her cabinmate, no less. Juliette is determined to enjoy her final summer at camp, even if it means (gag) tolerating Priya Pendley, but fate seems has other plans. If Juliette can’t find something to like about her situation—and about Priya—she risks hating the only home she’s ever had, right before she says goodbye to it forever.
At least, not in the way teen movies say she should hate the hot popular girl. They don’t do cat fights, love triangles, or betrayal. To survive their intertwined small town lives, they agree to a truce: complete group projects without fighting, don’t gossip to mutual friends, and stand on opposite sides of photos so it’s easy to crop each other out.
Priya seems to have everything during the school year—social media stardom, the handsome track captain boyfriend, and millions of adoring fans. And Juliette is at peace with that, because she has Fogridge Sleepaway Camp, the one place she never feels like “too much.”
But Juliette’s dreams of five Priya-free weeks in paradise are shattered when her rival shows up on move-in day... as her cabinmate, no less. Juliette is determined to enjoy her final summer at camp, even if it means (gag) tolerating Priya Pendley, but fate seems has other plans. If Juliette can’t find something to like about her situation—and about Priya—she risks hating the only home she’s ever had, right before she says goodbye to it forever.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2024
About the author
Erin Baldwin
1 book139 followersErin Baldwin (she/her) is a free-range, ethically sourced human person on a quest to become the most interesting being on the face of the planet. In pursuit of this goal, she's travelled to 21 countries, lived in 6 states, and is attempting to learn the fiddle. It is not going well.
She is represented by Lauren Spieller at Folio Literary Management.
WISH YOU WEREN'T HERE is her debut novel. Please buy it to enable her to take up more brief and silly hobbies.
She is represented by Lauren Spieller at Folio Literary Management.
WISH YOU WEREN'T HERE is her debut novel. Please buy it to enable her to take up more brief and silly hobbies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 369 reviews
October 24, 2023
My summer camp loving heart is so happy. Delightful.
January 24, 2024
I suppose I should finally review this book, seeing as I've read it no less than 100 times.
Here's a story:
Growing up, I was the kind of kid who wanted to dance at parties, but I was self-conscious and deeply fearful, so I'd wait for someone to pull me up onto the dance floor.
A friend invited me to his junior prom after his girlfriend dumped him unexpectedly. I sat in my chair the entire time. I remember so clearly him crouching beside me and saying, "Erin, if I knew you weren't going to dance, I would've invited someone else."
Years later, in my early twenties, I was living in a rural town in upstate PA, desperately missing the bustle of the city I grew up in. A coworker noticed this and surprised me by driving me four hours south to her favorite hometown club for her sister's birthday.
You know what I'm about to say, so let's all say it together: I sat in my chair the entire time! Yes, very good work.
I spent weddings and parties and nights out saying, "You guys go dance, I'll sit here and watch the coats." Like a mom at an amusement park holding her children's churros and glasses as they ride The Rolling Thunder.
No matter how confident I got, it felt like I was never going to be able to dance on my own.
But then I worked at summer camp. I don't know what happened, but suddenly I was the one pulling people up onto the dance floor. At camp, I was just someone completely different. I was a version of me who could do the things I'd always been too afraid to do, for whatever reason.
This book is a love letter to camp, to becoming, to all the home-away-from-homes that people find for themselves.
And it also took a lot of effort to write.
So.
Five stars.
Here's a story:
Growing up, I was the kind of kid who wanted to dance at parties, but I was self-conscious and deeply fearful, so I'd wait for someone to pull me up onto the dance floor.
A friend invited me to his junior prom after his girlfriend dumped him unexpectedly. I sat in my chair the entire time. I remember so clearly him crouching beside me and saying, "Erin, if I knew you weren't going to dance, I would've invited someone else."
Years later, in my early twenties, I was living in a rural town in upstate PA, desperately missing the bustle of the city I grew up in. A coworker noticed this and surprised me by driving me four hours south to her favorite hometown club for her sister's birthday.
You know what I'm about to say, so let's all say it together: I sat in my chair the entire time! Yes, very good work.
I spent weddings and parties and nights out saying, "You guys go dance, I'll sit here and watch the coats." Like a mom at an amusement park holding her children's churros and glasses as they ride The Rolling Thunder.
No matter how confident I got, it felt like I was never going to be able to dance on my own.
But then I worked at summer camp. I don't know what happened, but suddenly I was the one pulling people up onto the dance floor. At camp, I was just someone completely different. I was a version of me who could do the things I'd always been too afraid to do, for whatever reason.
This book is a love letter to camp, to becoming, to all the home-away-from-homes that people find for themselves.
And it also took a lot of effort to write.
So.
Five stars.
March 13, 2024
Okay, first things first: if you're on the fence about this one—admiring that cute cover, thinking a summer camp novel sounds fun, that frenemies-to-lovers is obviously the best trope, but... just read it. It's 100% as cute as it looks. Is the set up contrived as all get out? Sure, but it's a summer camp novel. Every other scene is an activity. Literally contrived. By adults. For fun. Activities are fun! So is sharing a cabin with your sworn enemy / hot crush. Whose butt is just like right there. Not that you’re staring at it. (“‘Right … you were looking with it. Near it.’”) Also, said crush has so much more emotional intelligence than you that you think it's a fair fight but it's not. She has your number, babe. Anyway, read it. Great literature it is not (what was that? YA is for kids? wha?), but treat yourself.
I have more to say, things less fair and more complicated. Like: Juliette is an asshole? Kind of? And some of her jokes border on… bullying? A suspicion only strengthened by how clearly her behavior is rooted in insecurity? (but see above re: emotional maturity). That Galahad, the "mean" counselor, reacted to Juliette's little mental break over her new roomie about how I would have? And is maybe the real victim in this story? That I'm a little sceptical Juliette is ready for a serious relationship, and if this were real life and not YA romance she would almost certainly learn that by putting herself and some poor innocent (named Priya) through a one-to-six year ringer? (What was that? Not being "real life" is the whole point of summer camp? and YA? and romance? wha?)
I like Juliette, I really do. I like Priya, too, obviously (obviously!) but I'm not convinced she exactly knows herself, either. Especially not if she's been nursing this weird little crush since forever? It almost feels like something complicated is going on here with queerness, something perhaps not quite intended… (Of course, they weren't gonna let a boy and a girl share that cabin. We're coming for your bathrooms, straights, but your summer camp cabins are probs safe for now. Ish.) Or maybe kids being seventeen and idiots is just complicated and stupid and silly and sweet all at the same time, and so the book is those things too. Though now I think I’m making it all sound more sophisticated than it is (or should be!)
Anyway, weird review, I know, but it's a fun book. Super silly, but it gave me some things to think about, too. (That last might just be me, though. I could probably read psychological depth into a phonebook. Don't be me, overthinking. Read it like a kid. After your bed time. Go back and reread the flirty scenes for clues. Step out of reality for a sec. The water's great.)
I have more to say, things less fair and more complicated. Like: Juliette is an asshole? Kind of? And some of her jokes border on… bullying? A suspicion only strengthened by how clearly her behavior is rooted in insecurity? (but see above re: emotional maturity). That Galahad, the "mean" counselor, reacted to Juliette's little mental break over her new roomie about how I would have? And is maybe the real victim in this story? That I'm a little sceptical Juliette is ready for a serious relationship, and if this were real life and not YA romance she would almost certainly learn that by putting herself and some poor innocent (named Priya) through a one-to-six year ringer? (What was that? Not being "real life" is the whole point of summer camp? and YA? and romance? wha?)
I like Juliette, I really do. I like Priya, too, obviously (obviously!) but I'm not convinced she exactly knows herself, either. Especially not if she's been nursing this weird little crush since forever? It almost feels like something complicated is going on here with queerness, something perhaps not quite intended… (Of course, they weren't gonna let a boy and a girl share that cabin. We're coming for your bathrooms, straights, but your summer camp cabins are probs safe for now. Ish.) Or maybe kids being seventeen and idiots is just complicated and stupid and silly and sweet all at the same time, and so the book is those things too. Though now I think I’m making it all sound more sophisticated than it is (or should be!)
Anyway, weird review, I know, but it's a fun book. Super silly, but it gave me some things to think about, too. (That last might just be me, though. I could probably read psychological depth into a phonebook. Don't be me, overthinking. Read it like a kid. After your bed time. Go back and reread the flirty scenes for clues. Step out of reality for a sec. The water's great.)
May 20, 2024
Juliette is heading to summer camp for her senior year. She’s super excited to be staying in the private tree house she earned as last year’s North Star award winner. But then she
discovers she has to share the cabin with newbie Prya who Juliette has disliked forever in their real life.
Lately, I’ve been reading books where the main character is beyond grumpy and is just a jerk so I end up screaming for the LI to run. Then I dnf the book. In the beginning of this story, Juliette is almost that insufferable character. Her longtime schoolmate, Prya, is just being herself. Prya’s a naturally warm, giving person which is why people gravitate towards her but Juliette doesn’t know how to deal with her confusing feelings about Prya.
I love camp stories and this put me right in the middle of the woods with everyone kayaking, hiking, crafting, and toasting their s’mores in the firepit. Mini campers pop in to add cute scenes and the older teens have their angsty crushes. But what resonates is Juliette’s battle with herself. She is the middle child of seven, accustomed to being a latchkey kid but also a child of privilege and expectations. Her parents are physicians and she is hoping to attend Yale next year. The author balances Juliette’s immature responses with reflection. She recognizes her own flaws and wants to be better. But she also wants validation. Prya’s character shines and how she interacts with Juliette is a thing of beauty. Small acts and kind words. Prya sees her. When Prya and Juliette do begin to click together, their banter is funny, their connection is sweet, and their affection is heartwarming. Very nice YA debut.
Received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
discovers she has to share the cabin with newbie Prya who Juliette has disliked forever in their real life.
Lately, I’ve been reading books where the main character is beyond grumpy and is just a jerk so I end up screaming for the LI to run. Then I dnf the book. In the beginning of this story, Juliette is almost that insufferable character. Her longtime schoolmate, Prya, is just being herself. Prya’s a naturally warm, giving person which is why people gravitate towards her but Juliette doesn’t know how to deal with her confusing feelings about Prya.
I love camp stories and this put me right in the middle of the woods with everyone kayaking, hiking, crafting, and toasting their s’mores in the firepit. Mini campers pop in to add cute scenes and the older teens have their angsty crushes. But what resonates is Juliette’s battle with herself. She is the middle child of seven, accustomed to being a latchkey kid but also a child of privilege and expectations. Her parents are physicians and she is hoping to attend Yale next year. The author balances Juliette’s immature responses with reflection. She recognizes her own flaws and wants to be better. But she also wants validation. Prya’s character shines and how she interacts with Juliette is a thing of beauty. Small acts and kind words. Prya sees her. When Prya and Juliette do begin to click together, their banter is funny, their connection is sweet, and their affection is heartwarming. Very nice YA debut.
Received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 22, 2022
as a sapphic summer camp kid i felt called out by this one a bit too much but i'll tolerate it i guess... THIS WAS SO GOOD!!!
June 12, 2024
although i’ve always wanted to go to summer camp growing up, i just feel like this book wasn’t necessarily for me? it was fun don’t get me wrong but it feels like the romance was in the background. it kinda reminds me of never have i ever meets high school musical the musical the series (season 4) in a way.
May 28, 2024
Juliette and her mortal enemy have a good thing going—they turn up to each other's parties, trade the same lackluster birthday gift back and forth, and generally stay out of each other's way. Priya reigns during the school year, but in summer camp is all Juliette's own...until her final summer as a camper, when Priya shows up. At her camp. In her cabin. And there's nothing Juliette can do about it.
I read this for 1) summer camp and 2) the novelty of YA enemies who aren't awful to each other, and it did not disappoint on either end. Now, make no mistake—this is not summer camp like you've seen it in real life. This is a very YA-novel summer camp in which, despite the director's protestations, money seems to be no object and a two-story cabin can be assigned to only two(!) campers. Some suspension of disbelief is required, as is an acceptance that side characters and plots will not get their fair due.
But the lack of enemy drama? I love it. The book is basically enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, but it's pretty low-key on the romance front and manages to keep the drama somewhere other than between Juliette and Priya. I'm reminded, minus the turn to romance, of a playful enmity I had with a classmate when I was about twelve—we didn't actually wish each other ill, but it was fun to argue, and neither of us took it personally. (We're no longer in contact beyond the barest of social media interaction, but I bet we'd get on well as adults.) Juliette and Priya have a similar dynamic—even when they're arguing, they're not cruel about it, and it makes it a much more fun book to read. I'd have been thrilled if this had been a book about friendship rather than romance, actually (as much as I love a good f/f story, I love a good friendship story more...and they're few and far between in YA), but the dynamic is fun enough here to bump it up to four stars.
(Don't pin your real-life summer-camp hopes and dreams on this book, though. That's like me pinning my early-2000s southern US boarding school hopes and dreams on 1940s British girls boarding school fiction. Expectation vs. reality...)
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
I read this for 1) summer camp and 2) the novelty of YA enemies who aren't awful to each other, and it did not disappoint on either end. Now, make no mistake—this is not summer camp like you've seen it in real life. This is a very YA-novel summer camp in which, despite the director's protestations, money seems to be no object and a two-story cabin can be assigned to only two(!) campers. Some suspension of disbelief is required, as is an acceptance that side characters and plots will not get their fair due.
But the lack of enemy drama? I love it. The book is basically enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, but it's pretty low-key on the romance front and manages to keep the drama somewhere other than between Juliette and Priya. I'm reminded, minus the turn to romance, of a playful enmity I had with a classmate when I was about twelve—we didn't actually wish each other ill, but it was fun to argue, and neither of us took it personally. (We're no longer in contact beyond the barest of social media interaction, but I bet we'd get on well as adults.) Juliette and Priya have a similar dynamic—even when they're arguing, they're not cruel about it, and it makes it a much more fun book to read. I'd have been thrilled if this had been a book about friendship rather than romance, actually (as much as I love a good f/f story, I love a good friendship story more...and they're few and far between in YA), but the dynamic is fun enough here to bump it up to four stars.
(Don't pin your real-life summer-camp hopes and dreams on this book, though. That's like me pinning my early-2000s southern US boarding school hopes and dreams on 1940s British girls boarding school fiction. Expectation vs. reality...)
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
February 1, 2024
rating: 3.75
i actually appreciated this more for the love letter to summer camp than the romance itself. the characters were nice enough, but i think calling this a rivals to lovers is a bit misleading. they themselves describe their relationship through mutuals friends as "eh"; there is a lot of envy on juliette's part, but it's one-sided and not a proper hatred or anything.
but it's understandable when little miss perfect priya shows up at her favorite place on earth for her last year there as a camper and juliette feels she's about to be robbed her best last summer ever. not only is priya quickly loved by everyone, but even juliette quickly succumbs to accepting her into the friend group. it didn't really have that rival drive, but i sympathized w juliette's feeling of her place in camp being threatened. juliette constantly describes herself as being too loud, too open w her opinions, but we really don't see that, we're only told so. i think we could've seen more examples of that played out, esp to have more juxtaposition and maybe conflict between the MCs.
the rest of the story had good pacing and believable chemistry build-up between the two. i felt a bit dissatisfied with one of the conflict subplots and wasn't a big fan of the epilogue .
overall, it was enjoyable but not a favorite.
an honest arc review <3
i actually appreciated this more for the love letter to summer camp than the romance itself. the characters were nice enough, but i think calling this a rivals to lovers is a bit misleading. they themselves describe their relationship through mutuals friends as "eh"; there is a lot of envy on juliette's part, but it's one-sided and not a proper hatred or anything.
but it's understandable when little miss perfect priya shows up at her favorite place on earth for her last year there as a camper and juliette feels she's about to be robbed her best last summer ever. not only is priya quickly loved by everyone, but even juliette quickly succumbs to accepting her into the friend group. it didn't really have that rival drive, but i sympathized w juliette's feeling of her place in camp being threatened. juliette constantly describes herself as being too loud, too open w her opinions, but we really don't see that, we're only told so. i think we could've seen more examples of that played out, esp to have more juxtaposition and maybe conflict between the MCs.
the rest of the story had good pacing and believable chemistry build-up between the two. i felt a bit dissatisfied with one of the conflict subplots and wasn't a big fan of the epilogue .
overall, it was enjoyable but not a favorite.
an honest arc review <3
April 24, 2024
Sapphic YA frenemies to lovers romance set at camp with a prickly heroine! I enjoyed this quite a lot. Wish You Weren't Here is a frothy summer camp romance between a misunderstood, hard-headed heroine who feels like camp is the only place she can be herself, and the Instagram-famous girl she cordially despises who shows up unannounced as her roommate for the summer. This is for girls who were told they were too much, too intense, not nice enough. Girls who just wanted to be seen and loved for who they are. It's a slow-burn and is almost entirely set at camp with all the requisite camp activities. A great book for heading into the summer! I received a copy of this book for review via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
Want to read
January 31, 2024netgalley req: declined
me: bitter
me: bitter
January 23, 2024
Thanks to Viking Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!
This is such a fun book! Sweet characters, great pacing and a very fun setting. A perfect romance for the summertime!
Juliette and Priya were really great characters. I liked seeing Juliette’s internal struggles about how she is perceived and how she’s treated at home, and I really understood why she felt like the camp was the only place where she could really be herself. My only criticism is that I would’ve liked to see more of her school and home life, to really emphasize her struggles.
Priya was a really good LI! Juliette thinks she’s conceited and is afraid she’ll do a mockery of the summer camp activities that mean so much to Juliette, but Priya immediately proves her wrong by cheerfully participating in the activities, befriending people and just overall being a sweetheart! I also like that Priya is very confident and talented. I honestly would’ve loved to see more of her, just like with Juliette.
Both Priya and Juliette did some dumb things at times, but I’ll just chalk that up to them being teenagers haha. Overall, they were really good characters, individually. But I also really enjoyed their dynamic! Their polite distaste for each other quickly turning into admiration was really nice to see develop. I liked that Priya was clearly being very nice (and sometimes flirty) towards Juliette, but Juliette was completely oblivious and just assumed Priya still disliked her. Such a fun dynamic!!!!! 🤭
I also liked Lucy and Gia as SCs, though, once again, I would’ve liked to see more of them. (As you can tell, a lot of my review is just GIVE ME MORE!!!!!!!!! because I genuinely was having a really fun time in this story and I didn’t want it to end haha).
I also think the summer camp setting was suuuper fun! I personally don’t have this deep love for summer camp the way the characters and author clearly do, but I can imagine that someone with that kind of thing in their life will feel a deep appreciation for Juliette’s feelings about never going back to camp. But even though I couldn’t really relate to it, I still think the feeling of saying goodbye to something that means a lot to you and feeling nostalgia about your teen years is something everyone can relate to in some way, and I like the way it was shown in this story.
Regarding the writing: there were a couple of typos (which I’m sure will be corrected before the book is published) and some 4th wall breaks (which are not my personal favourite), but, overall, I think the author did a good job making me care for these characters and building up the story. I breezed through it!
Overall: this is a really fun summery book with great representation that I think any fans of YA romance will really enjoy!
(review written on 23/01/2024)
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GUYS I GOT AN ARC??!?!??!?!?!?!? LET'S GO LGTV COMMUNITY LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
(19/01/2024)
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"Childhood rivals Juliette and Priya are forced to be summer camp cabinmates and must decide what they want more: to kill each other or to kiss."
say no more
(17/11/2022)
This is such a fun book! Sweet characters, great pacing and a very fun setting. A perfect romance for the summertime!
Juliette and Priya were really great characters. I liked seeing Juliette’s internal struggles about how she is perceived and how she’s treated at home, and I really understood why she felt like the camp was the only place where she could really be herself. My only criticism is that I would’ve liked to see more of her school and home life, to really emphasize her struggles.
Priya was a really good LI! Juliette thinks she’s conceited and is afraid she’ll do a mockery of the summer camp activities that mean so much to Juliette, but Priya immediately proves her wrong by cheerfully participating in the activities, befriending people and just overall being a sweetheart! I also like that Priya is very confident and talented. I honestly would’ve loved to see more of her, just like with Juliette.
Both Priya and Juliette did some dumb things at times, but I’ll just chalk that up to them being teenagers haha. Overall, they were really good characters, individually. But I also really enjoyed their dynamic! Their polite distaste for each other quickly turning into admiration was really nice to see develop. I liked that Priya was clearly being very nice (and sometimes flirty) towards Juliette, but Juliette was completely oblivious and just assumed Priya still disliked her. Such a fun dynamic!!!!! 🤭
I also liked Lucy and Gia as SCs, though, once again, I would’ve liked to see more of them. (As you can tell, a lot of my review is just GIVE ME MORE!!!!!!!!! because I genuinely was having a really fun time in this story and I didn’t want it to end haha).
I also think the summer camp setting was suuuper fun! I personally don’t have this deep love for summer camp the way the characters and author clearly do, but I can imagine that someone with that kind of thing in their life will feel a deep appreciation for Juliette’s feelings about never going back to camp. But even though I couldn’t really relate to it, I still think the feeling of saying goodbye to something that means a lot to you and feeling nostalgia about your teen years is something everyone can relate to in some way, and I like the way it was shown in this story.
Regarding the writing: there were a couple of typos (which I’m sure will be corrected before the book is published) and some 4th wall breaks (which are not my personal favourite), but, overall, I think the author did a good job making me care for these characters and building up the story. I breezed through it!
Overall: this is a really fun summery book with great representation that I think any fans of YA romance will really enjoy!
(review written on 23/01/2024)
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GUYS I GOT AN ARC??!?!??!?!?!?!? LET'S GO LGTV COMMUNITY LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
(19/01/2024)
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"Childhood rivals Juliette and Priya are forced to be summer camp cabinmates and must decide what they want more: to kill each other or to kiss."
say no more
(17/11/2022)
July 30, 2024
YA perfection
July 10, 2024
They hate us (people from the southern hemisphere)! They're coming out with the perfect summer sapphic read in June (that's the start of winter here)
July 20, 2024
4 stars. Joyous, just the tinest bit wistful, and all young adult romance excellence, Wish You Weren't Here is both an ode to summers as a teen and a love letter to summer camp.
November 16, 2022
First of all, the summer camp and self-discovery vibe of this book is immaculate, and I love the two main characters so much. On the surface this is the story of Juliette and Priya, but it is so much more than a love story; it is the story of Juliette Barrera-Wright learning not just who she is but also who she has the potential to be as she deals with the melancholy of changes and what they mean about who we are and what we leave behind when we grow up and into who we will be.
Full of both the struggles and the joys of late adolescence, this book is for all of us who have worked to understand who we are and to appreciate the people who have helped us get to this point. It is loaded with humor and a poignant understanding of falling in love for the first time, however reluctant they may be to do so.
I cannot wait to share this book with everyone I know when it comes out.
Full of both the struggles and the joys of late adolescence, this book is for all of us who have worked to understand who we are and to appreciate the people who have helped us get to this point. It is loaded with humor and a poignant understanding of falling in love for the first time, however reluctant they may be to do so.
I cannot wait to share this book with everyone I know when it comes out.
January 16, 2023
me, a sapphic kid who went to summer camp for eight years: wait... is this fucking play about us?!
July 1, 2024
Fun and fast-paced, but not at all memorable, and I really wasn’t feeling the romance.
June 14, 2024
This is such a good summer read! I love a summer camp story, and this one has the right amounts of cuteness and heart. And, of course, an adorable sapphic romance!
June 11, 2024
A fantastic and fun YA Sapphic enemies to lovers, forced proximity summer camp romance that sees two frenemies forced to bunk together who realize they have more in common than they realized. I loved this on audio, there was great BIPOC rep and it was just a super fun summer read! Highly recommended for fans of authors like Jennifer Dugan and I can't wait to read more by this author!
February 24, 2024
This is the PERFECT ya lgbtq not-quite-enemies to lovers summer camp book experience
Seriously it was just is fun ??? And heartwarming ??? And encapsulated the senior year teenage nostalgia experience ????
Tooth achingly sweet and one I’ll be thinking about for a while
Seriously it was just is fun ??? And heartwarming ??? And encapsulated the senior year teenage nostalgia experience ????
Tooth achingly sweet and one I’ll be thinking about for a while
June 15, 2024
This was fun, but I wish the romance was more flashed out.
May 30, 2024
ahh this was so cute & made my heart so full! we follow juliette and priya, classmates who can best be described as frenemies, as they get stuck as roommates at the summer camp juliette considers her home away from home. juliette expects the worst from priya, but when priya turns out to be different than she thought, they begin to form a real bond.
i really enjoyed the setting of this book. the camp was a character in itself, and it felt vibrant, with descriptions of the sense of community that the campers form. you really get to understand juliette's feeling of belonging when she's at fogridge, and because that is so well developed, it ups the stakes for everything to go right during her last year as a camper there. i also liked the way that juliette's feelings about camp pushed her to extend olive branches to priya, and how that progressed their relationship throughout the story. also, the pop culture references felt like they were written for me (hey fellow survivor fans & theatre kids!), so that made it even more fun to read.
this is a perfect summer read for any YA romance reader!
thank you penguin teen & netgalley for the eARC, and PRH audio for the ALC!
i really enjoyed the setting of this book. the camp was a character in itself, and it felt vibrant, with descriptions of the sense of community that the campers form. you really get to understand juliette's feeling of belonging when she's at fogridge, and because that is so well developed, it ups the stakes for everything to go right during her last year as a camper there. i also liked the way that juliette's feelings about camp pushed her to extend olive branches to priya, and how that progressed their relationship throughout the story. also, the pop culture references felt like they were written for me (hey fellow survivor fans & theatre kids!), so that made it even more fun to read.
this is a perfect summer read for any YA romance reader!
thank you penguin teen & netgalley for the eARC, and PRH audio for the ALC!
February 12, 2023
02.12.23
i had the incredible privilege of reading this book early... and when i tell you i absolutely DEVOURED it. erin baldwin is a genius, and WISH YOU WERE(N'T) HERE is a sapphic slow-burn summer camp YA MASTERPIECE. it's been a long time since a book made me laugh, cry, and *feel* as hard as this one did, but WYWH deserves ALL its flowers. it made me nostalgic for the feeling of being seventeen and finding your place in the world—the one where you can be your most authentic self—while knowing you're getting closer and closer to losing it as you age. it's a book about love, about the beauty of ephemeral moments, about the anger and jealousy and gratitude that comes from being a teenage girl constantly eclipsed by the brighter star in your orbit. it's about fighting to be seen when your circumstances can make you feel invisible. it's about speaking up for your friends. it's about being kind to yourself, and accepting when circumstances out of your control cannot be changed, and trying your hardest to make the most out of a difficult situation. it's about how we can misjudge others when we do not fully see them, and it's about working to try.
juliette barrera-wright, the main character, is so incredibly relatable. she's stubborn, and a little bit petulant, and at the same time she bursts with so much life and humor. i have no idea how erin did this, but all of the characters in WYWH (including the side characters who are literally only mentioned, like, once) feel so REAL. they're all fully realized people, no matter how much page time they get, and it felt so incredibly rewarding to follow juliette and watch her interact with the vivacious cast of characters baldwin has created.
i feel so lucky i was able to read this book early, and i cannot wait for everyone else to go to fogridge in 2024. PUT THIS ON YOUR TBR OR ELSE!!!!
02.07.23
currently reading: all you hoes better be SO JEALOUS rn
i had the incredible privilege of reading this book early... and when i tell you i absolutely DEVOURED it. erin baldwin is a genius, and WISH YOU WERE(N'T) HERE is a sapphic slow-burn summer camp YA MASTERPIECE. it's been a long time since a book made me laugh, cry, and *feel* as hard as this one did, but WYWH deserves ALL its flowers. it made me nostalgic for the feeling of being seventeen and finding your place in the world—the one where you can be your most authentic self—while knowing you're getting closer and closer to losing it as you age. it's a book about love, about the beauty of ephemeral moments, about the anger and jealousy and gratitude that comes from being a teenage girl constantly eclipsed by the brighter star in your orbit. it's about fighting to be seen when your circumstances can make you feel invisible. it's about speaking up for your friends. it's about being kind to yourself, and accepting when circumstances out of your control cannot be changed, and trying your hardest to make the most out of a difficult situation. it's about how we can misjudge others when we do not fully see them, and it's about working to try.
juliette barrera-wright, the main character, is so incredibly relatable. she's stubborn, and a little bit petulant, and at the same time she bursts with so much life and humor. i have no idea how erin did this, but all of the characters in WYWH (including the side characters who are literally only mentioned, like, once) feel so REAL. they're all fully realized people, no matter how much page time they get, and it felt so incredibly rewarding to follow juliette and watch her interact with the vivacious cast of characters baldwin has created.
i feel so lucky i was able to read this book early, and i cannot wait for everyone else to go to fogridge in 2024. PUT THIS ON YOUR TBR OR ELSE!!!!
02.07.23
currently reading: all you hoes better be SO JEALOUS rn
April 10, 2024
This is one of the strongest debut novels I've had the pleasure of reading in a long while. The world building is just as vivid and lush as the characters themselves -- who have some of my favorite voices ever. Juliette and Priya are so lovable on their own, but especially together. I especially enjoyed the nuanced take of a 'not so' enemies to lovers dynamic. This is one of those books that will stick with me for a long time.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc!
Want to read
October 20, 2023okay love the official cover tbh
May 25, 2024
Wish You Weren’t Here is as sweet as the cover makes it look. And if you ever went to summer camp and enjoyed it, you will probably add an extra star to your rating. Juliette is one of seven kids in a high achieving family (both parents are doctors). Summer camp has been the one thing that she does that is hers. She has her own achievements, friendships and time to be a kid here. And she is intense about it. Okay she is a bit off put-tingly intense about a lot of things.
Priya is her life long frenemy. They attend the same school and parties. They are both smart, waiting for their acceptances to Yale. Priya is also an influencer, always styled and perfect. They aren’t really enemies, no one sabotages the other, they've been competitive and not friends. So when Priya shows up at camp and is her cabin mate it is all a bit much for Juliette. Especially for how easily her friends like the actually really nice Priya.
This is a summer camp novel. The scenes are usually about camp activities. S'mores around the campfire, activities to let kids be kids. Priya wants to study set building and design and decides to work on the camp musical. Juliette, sidelined by an injury, helps her. This is all fun and sweet. Throw in some confessions of insecurities and finally a night of shared kissing and this book will leave you feeling happy. The epilogue is lovely too. Easy YA novel to recommend for middle school and up. Thank you to Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving an honest review.
Priya is her life long frenemy. They attend the same school and parties. They are both smart, waiting for their acceptances to Yale. Priya is also an influencer, always styled and perfect. They aren’t really enemies, no one sabotages the other, they've been competitive and not friends. So when Priya shows up at camp and is her cabin mate it is all a bit much for Juliette. Especially for how easily her friends like the actually really nice Priya.
This is a summer camp novel. The scenes are usually about camp activities. S'mores around the campfire, activities to let kids be kids. Priya wants to study set building and design and decides to work on the camp musical. Juliette, sidelined by an injury, helps her. This is all fun and sweet. Throw in some confessions of insecurities and finally a night of shared kissing and this book will leave you feeling happy. The epilogue is lovely too. Easy YA novel to recommend for middle school and up. Thank you to Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving an honest review.
July 5, 2024
if this was marketed as a book about self-discovery, it would’ve been a 5/5
June 10, 2024
3.5? It was cute, but it never really hooked me in. If this were just a story about friendship and finding yourself at summer camp, it would've held up a lot more. But as a frenemies-to-lovers YA romance? It kinda let down. The initial "rivalry" between them is really one sided and in Juliette's head, and honestly Priya was so nice right off the bat, it was hard to root for the MC on that front. This story could've really benefitted from a dual-POV to see what both girls were going through.
June 6, 2024
What a great debut novel for Erin Baldwin! This story, which could have been a gooey summer camp trope, is nothing of the sort. The plot is fresh and interesting. I have never been to a summer camp but could absolutely resonate with the experience. I loved Juliette's voice. She is funny and flawed and very real. I was especially impressed by how Erin developed the relationship between the two main characters. This is no Hallmark romance!
Kudos to you, Erin. I give you 5 stars and a WOW!
Kudos to you, Erin. I give you 5 stars and a WOW!
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May 15, 2024
Thank you so much to Viking Books for Young Readers sending me a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
review coming soon
──✒ pre review initial thoughts
have you ever disliked a book you thought you’d love?
review coming soon
──✒ pre review initial thoughts
have you ever disliked a book you thought you’d love?
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