When your perfect sister gets married, and on your own birthday at that, you have to figure out how to have a good time and what's better than the worst date ever?

But everything turns out differently and the worst date isn't so bad after all.

Have fun reading it yourself!

This book is a contemporary romance with both a second chance and fake dating tropes. I was indifferent to the female main character, but loved the male main character. I would have loved even more of his character in the story. This was a middle of the road read to me, but I plan on reading more from this author to see if I like her other work more.

great book and I loved the action and the romance . I loved seeing the friends and family. I loved that they were able to figure things out. Overall a great book .

a fun romantic romp, that while I admit wasn't really for me, I can totally see everything in here and how it works. I really enjoyed the first few chapters, and the timeskip, adding a bit of mystery to the novel. A fun read I will be recommending to the romance lovers out that I know will devour this ((most of them))

Easily my favorite Portia MacIntosh book. "Wish You Weren't Here" delivers romance, comedy, and I even shed a tear or two. This book kept me reading late into the night, only to find my family already tucked in and asleep when I was done. I could not put this down. Well done on keeping me at the edge of my seat! You will fall in love with "Lana Banana" and her ridiculously rich family. Go and read it now! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Whenever I sit down with a Portia MacIntosh book, I know I’m going to get an intriguing story with lovable characters, a fun setting, and lots of laughs. This one did not disappoint. This time we’re in Australia with Lana and Ethan, who have so much chemistry it leaps off the page, at a wedding of her snooty family and guests; there’s plenty of material for laughs and you get them at every turn. I particularly loved the idea of the apps that Lana works on and I hope they exist. There are also some heartfelt moments that make everything worth it. Highly recommended!

This was yet another fun book from Portia Macintosh and even though i thoroughly enjoyed every second I have thoughts!

Ethan is a sweet heart and to be honest I don't think he was ever as bad as what Lana made him out to be and think she was a little bit too hard on him and when the reason why he had been at the office came out, it was just sort of an oh, ok and they moved on. I mean i know it wasn't the point of the story but I just kind of wished she had given him a little bit more? because he deserved it, he's amazing!

Now in saying that, they aren't bad points to me but just got me thinking about everything Lana went through with her family and perhaps she just didn't know how to deal with being treated well? I adored the book and cannot wait for Portias next book!

I think I'm giving up on Portia McIntosh - I might be too old for this superficial and forced reality of her characters.
The beginning of the story was really good, quick and sparkly and the introduction to the characters was engaging and interesting. But then it went downhill.
I'm really sorry, but I didn't feel the chemistry and spark between Lana and Ethan and those accidents when they were together, those were how many of them? One? Two? It's good that Lana kept reminding about them in every single chapter because I might have forgotten about them quickly, as they were almost non - existent.
The chapters were short, which is a good thing, but it felt as we were skipping from one chapter to another, there was no fluency between them, no continuity. The characters, as usual, lacked in depth and were too much stereotyped for my liking. The interactions between them felt like a table tennis - just playing the ball, changing points of view really quickly. Also, the relationship between Lana and the rest of her family was awful - I'm not sure if it was supposed to be funny but it didn't work for me at all. Class here of there.

Well, maybe it's a case of "it's not you, it's me", but the book didn't work for me. It felt unrealistic, the characters behaved childish and many things felt forced and very convinient. Sure, sometimes you need an easy read, so just try the book for yourself.

I loved this, it was a real page turner. I expected a typical romcom (which I love by the way) but this one surprised me. Loved the main characters, and their interactions. Cosy up and enjoy.

📚 Book Review 📚

I am a massive Portia Macintosh fan, and feel privileged to be involved in the tour for the hottest new romance of 2025!

This story follows Lana, a likeable and down to earth character who I loved getting to know. Lana needs a date for a wedding, and she finds the right guy in the most unexpected of places. Her online dating escapades gave me some funny flashbacks, but ultimately none of them are right for her.

Lana's ideas to exact revenge on her thoughtless sister's big day are hilarious and mischievous. This book was very lighthearted and humorous in places, but it was also about self worth, family values and identity.

My two favourite aspects were probably that Portia featured my favourite tropes - fake dating, second chance romance and meet cute, all bundled into this brilliant romance. The other favourite aspect was that this book took us to Australia - somewhere on my bucket list that I'll probably never go cos of my fear of flying, so the more I can escape there through books, the better.

Another corker from a romance fiction queen. Thank you, Portia!

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Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

I have read Portia Macintosh's work before, and was excited to receive this ARC, but sadly this one was a disappointment. I was confused by the choices the main character made, in addition to the questionable choices her family made as well. The pacing was off, and I felt like this was very long when it didn't need to drag on that way. I was not a fan of this one, but I am open to reading more by this author in the future!

Lana is seen as a hot mess by her father’s wealthy side of the family. The side that she didn’t grow up with since she didn’t live with her father. She is seen as so much of a mess that they stage an intervention to keep her from messing up her sister’s wedding in Australia.
A wedding that is taking place on Lana’s 30th birthday. A fact that no one seems to even care about so Lana does the only thing she can and plans to screw things up on purpose. I mean let's face it they can only think you are something so many times before you just give in and be that.

That is where Ethan comes in. Ethan and Lana met two years ago and there was plenty of chemistry between them. However, there was plenty of chaos as well and they decided to never see one another again. However, a chance encounter gives Lana the perfect idea. After all she needs a date for the wedding and who better help her with chaos for the big day?

This was simply a wonderful story. It has a bit of fake dating as well as some romantic comedy in it. Although I feel I should warn you that the romance doesn’t begin until about halfway through. Some people find that off putting but I think it works for this story.

An enjoyable romance read following the blossoming romance of Lana and Ethan.

I found this an easy read with a sprinkling of humour throughout. I loved getting to know Lana and Ethan and watching them fall in love - even if it took them an age to get there!

Reading about the family dynamics was highly amusing and I really don’t know how Lana put up with them.

If you like a lighthearted romcom then this is the book for you.

Lana’s sister is getting married in Australia, on her 30th birthday, which the rest of her family has conveniently forgotten about. Known for being the wild single one, Lana is given rules to follow to make sure she doesn’t spoil the wedding…

Lana needs the perfect wedding date to take with her but when all her attempts at online dating fail, it looks like she’s going to have to go alone. When her ex Ethan suddenly reappears in her life. The ex who when they are together, cause chaos. Perfect date for the wedding?

But when they arrive for the wedding, everything seems different between them. And Ethan seems to be there to charm everyone, including Lana.

Friends to lovers, fake dating and a holiday romance all rolled into one. What’s not to love? Wish You Weren’t Here is a great light romance novel with a bit of comedy thrown in for good measure.

I really enjoyed the dating adventure Lana went onto try and find a date for her sister’s wedding. There really were some terrible ones! But getting both of Lana and Ethan’s stories was great, we got to see exactly what they were before to what they are now, which I really liked.

Thank you Netgalley, Portia MacIntosh and Boldwood books for this advanced reader copy of Wish You Weren’t here, in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the premise of this book - it’s right out of a ball mark movie and i loved the first 40% - fake dating, enemies/friends to lovers falling again, but i felt like the last 30% was too hurried and it made me fall off. I wish there were more moments with Ethan and Lana acknowledging them and their relationship more!

Wish You Weren’t Here is Portia MacIntosh’s latest workplace and family second-chance romantic comedy. While the characters are British and the story contains British phrasing, it is easy for Americans to understand. There is no profanity, and the sex scenes are “closed door.”
Wish You Weren’t Here begins on Valentines Day, 2023 with 28-year-old secretary Lana Pemberton assigned to horrible software CEO Jennifer Carter. While Lana is seated at Jennifer’s desk trying to get her computer to function properly, a handsome man walks in and offers to help. Ethan is from London and meets up with Lana after work, and they enjoy a wonderful, crazy 2-day tryst. At the time Lana is fending off advances from a too-friendly coworker, Steve, and looked down upon by her newly engaged younger half-sister, Persephone.
Fast forward two years and Lana is once again temporarily working for Horrible Jennifer. Meanwhile her flat-mate moved away and she can’t afford to live on her own, so she’s staying in her ex-boyfriend Steve’s spare bedroom. When her father invites her to a family lunch to discuss her sister’s upcoming wedding in Australia, Lana is blindsided by their fears of her embarrassing them and ruining Persephone’s wedding. She’s deeply hurt by their decision to hold the actual ceremony on her thirtieth wedding, making her feel even more insignificant. At that point Lana decides that she’s going to find the most unsuitable man possible to serve as her wedding date.
Lana uses various dating apps to meet unsuitable men, with hilarious consequences. She’s about to ditch her plans when Ethan reappears in her Leeds office. He agrees to be her wedding date, but she’s wary of rekindling their relationship. Their attraction is so strong that they just throw common sense out the window when they are together and cause lots of mayhem. When they arrive in Australia, Ethan has a 180 personality change and becomes a significant other that Lana’s family approves of. Lana’s trying to figure out how to make it through the wedding with her heart and sanity intact.

Wish You Weren’t Here is an enjoyable escapist romance that contains many hilarious scenes. I started off not liking Lana very much, because I couldn’t relate to her carefree ways, but I realized that she was self-supporting and enjoying her single status. When Lana was openly criticized by her father and stepmother, I immediately became sympathetic to her and agreed with her strategy to enact a little revenge. It became clear that Lana had a good head on her shoulders and was planning to settle down in her thirties, while enjoying her twenties. Ethan was a perfect romantic hero, the “one who got away” and probably the reason that other guys didn’t measure up.

While the story moves slowly at first, the descriptions are so vivid that it’s like watching a movie. The dating scenes are absolutely hilarious, and Lana and Ethan’s misadventures are over the top! Readers will absolutely enjoy Wish You Weren’t Here and its original plotline.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Boldwood Books for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook!
So sorry I am behind on reviews with the holidays and all and being deathly sick during Chrisrmas. Ha but this book got me through it! Once again I have fallen in love with another book by this author! A great rom com that is guaranteed to make you laugh and not be able to put down. I do not want to give anything away. I highly recommend you read this! Perfect for winter readers due to we have a warm location! :)

I enjoyed this to an extent, its and easy read and I enjoyed the relationship between Ethan and Lana. However, I took an issue with the premise of the rich family and her growing up with nothing. Mainly because if her parents were to get divorced the Dad would have to give her half unless there was a prenup which was never mentioned. Anyway it all just felt a bit weird.
I've read a few Portia MacIntosh's books and this was good but I dont think its her best. Would recommend as a light read though!

To be honest, this book lost me at the very- cringey- beginning. I pushed through, but this book lacked cohesiveness. I didn't believe there was any chemistry between Lana and Ethan and didn't feel at all connected to them or their story. I also really disliked Lana which didn't help. Overall, this book felt rushed, crammed and inauthentic. However, just because I didn't enjoy it, doesn't mean that others won't. As such, I will not be rating on social media. I am aware of how much work it takes to write a book and want to give the author a shot,