Wish You Weren't Here by Christy Schillig

From Romantasy Bookstore local resident author Christy Schillig, Wish You Weren’t Here is a transportive, laugh-out-loud debut about a summer in Italy that turns into a total life reset—perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle and Tessa Bailey.

Ava Graham has everything mapped out: finish her last law school credits in Italy and honor a promise she made to her late mother. The only thing missing from her perfectly organized plan is the engagement ring she’s sure her long-term boyfriend is about to give her… except instead, he suggests they take a “break” while she’s abroad. Cue Ava’s carefully stacked life toppling like a Jenga tower.

Enter James Massini, the late-to-the-airport pickup who expects a carefree college kid and gets Ava instead—nearly thirty, intensely Type A, and armed with a superiority complex and a color-coded mental checklist. When Ava ends up assigned as a TA in James’s class, he makes it his personal mission to prove there’s more to life than plans and lists—especially when their banter is half the fun (and, annoyingly, so is he).

As Ava lets Italy—and James—pull her into a messier, more beautiful way of living, she starts to find herself in the chaos. Of course, it’s right when things begin to feel clear again that her past comes rushing back, forcing her to decide what she actually wants… not what she thought she was supposed to want.