I liked the beginning of the book (though it is a bit slow), because I could actually relate to Catherine so much. Her anxiety at being late, the horrible feeling of someone poking fun of their for it was written so well and in a realistic way. I was very hopeful that the story would stay true to her need for order and not try to "loosen her up". Alas, it was not to be. The storyline itself is completely fine, though it could have used more depth. Similarly Luca wasn't really fleshed out and seemed like more of a symbol than anything else. Like the universe sending her a manifestation of what she is lacking.
What really soured this book for me, is the ending. While it was predictable, I still felt let down. Catherine realizes that she her being such a rule follower is preventing her from seeing the human aspect etc etc. That part would be completely fine, but it comes at the expense of showing nuance. Catherine completely erases all of the hardships her upbringen caused her and basically absolves her father of all wrongdoing. It's one of my least favorite storylines to have a more "uptight" character become more relaxed and basically come to the realization that they needed to change. Again, middle ground would be fine, but two things can be true at once. In some aspects Catherine could be more relaxed, but being too relaxed is also bad. Her father caused them to be homeless numerous times, never accepted true responsibility, did whatever he wanted, placed an insane burden on her as a child, and was completely reckless. Who brings A CHILD to burning man??? In the beginning Catherine is rightfully resentful about all of this, but by the end she's like "oh my God I had such a great upbringing!". Bitch you're traumatized.
Same thing with Luca. While, yes, there are great explanations of all the times he sort of flaked, we never hear them from him. Catherine doesn't know all of the facts and without them, she (again, rightfully) calls him out for being irresponsible. It does turn out there were reasons, but why does Luca never explain himself? Why does Catherine have to be the one to apologize? She didn't really do anything wrong. If my doorman (which I don't have) lost absolutely crucial mail from my bank FOR WEEKS, caused me to fall over bikes more than once, etc I would be expecting him to be forthcoming with some explanations instead of him being like oh trust me, you're just being too narrow. It's just disappointing. In the end, it's only Catherine who adjusts. Catherine that loosens up. There is not one scene of Luca or her dad being like "you're right. I should have been a bit less laid back and actually followed the rules/accepted responsibility". At least use a goddamn coaster! As often as Catherine thinks about that, there really could have been more consideration.
Please leave my rule following women in peace. We do not need another book about how they can be less annoying/uptight/boring. They wouldn't have to be so rigid, if the men in there life could just do the bare minimum.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

Catherine has finally figured it all out. She got a new apartment and is about to start a new job. She’s all set. Then her carefully calculated life starts falling apart. One thing after another goes awry and at the social security office she discover there’s no evidence she exists at all. Forced to make quick work of finding her birth certificate Catherine reluctantly accepts help from Luca a the doorman at her building with more connections then anyone could’ve expected. Forced to step out of her comfort zone Catherine may discover that the “real” her is someone she never expected.

I have to start off with the plot. It’s unique, it’s fun and most importantly a good staring point that can easily be built upon. For obvious reasons Catherine gets slightly obsessed with solving the mystery of her lost identity which made the beginning of the story slightly monotonous. However as the search moves forward the book gets more interesting. Catherine goes thru some life altering events that has a big impact on her character development which is my favorite part of the book. And there’s also the blooming relationship between Catherine and Luca. They’re really good together despite all their differences.

There are so many interesting personalities in this one, all of Lucas family members, the sweet seniors living in the neighborhood and Catherine’s dad. I’d love to see another book from the same universe. The ending surprised me a bit so that was a pleasant surprise. I’ll definitely check out some of Weisners other books after reading this one!

Read this if you like
💙Found family
🔥Opposites attract
✨Character growth
📖Romance with a touch of mystery & fantasy

I would say this is a 3.5 for being an enjoyable read!
I loved the supernatural elements fun and the range of characters were great. There were parts that felt a little slow but overall it was a great first read for me from Melissa Wiesner and I'll be sure to keep an eye out for more.

I absolutely love Melissa Wiesner's writing! I'm not really a romance reader, but the supernatural aspects of Melissa's books are brilliant!

Super organised Catherine is thrown when things go awry on the way to a job interview and for a fleeting moment, she wishes that she didn't exist. When that wish comes true and evidence of Catherine's existence is erased, she finds herself seeking help from her hot but irritating doorman, Luca.

I enjoyed the antics they got up to in the hunt for Catherine's identity and I absolutely ADORED Catherine's Dad!

Not quite as many comedic moments as some of Melissa's other books, but a very enjoyable read with a gorgeous sprinkle of magic!

3.5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Melissa Wiesner and Headline for an ARC in return for an honest review.