Wish You Weren’t Here

Fans of Rebecca Serle and Christina Lauren will adore this immersive contemporary romance set in Italy.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 long-term 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 arrives-late-to the airport to pick up Ava as a favor to his aunt and uncle, he’s surprised to find that she’s not a young co-ed, but a fascinating woman approaching thirty with a serious superiority complex and a habit of underestimating him. When she’s 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 him-or how annoyingly charming he finds their banter.Despite the sudden disaster of her life, type A Ava might actually enjoy Italy-if only annoyingly carefree James wasn’t 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, it’s 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 doesn’t always care about the plans we’ve made for ourselves. 2026 IngramSpark® Editorial Selection – Romance