i’m a longtime lover of elle mcnicoll and this book was no exception - i loved it, such a charming and fun and engaging read. there were some little mistakes, like typos or characters somehow appearing in places they weren’t previously, but overall i swallowed this book in about 2 days! one thing i personally can’t forgive is the way george treated jonah: i’ve experienced similar situations and i simply don’t feel any sympathy for george. he treated a young adult/employee who hadn’t done anything to him terribly.

I loved Allegra from the first time we are introduced and her and Jonah's story was such a fun and entertaining read, it's just the perfect thing to read this summer

Elle McNicoll you have done it again!! I LOVEEEDD this book.
It had me gripped throughout, even if there was parts I managed to guess the outcome/twist for.
I loved Lake Pristine, I loved Allegra and I loved Jonah. The longing, the angst!! It was so much fun!!
I'm not much of a romance reader but every now and then one is almost perfect and this is certain one of them.

It was so lovely to read about autistic teens, with jobs facing life and falling in love. This is certainly the kind of text I wish a younger me had been able to read.

Thank you Elle McNicoll, Net Galley and Macmillan Children's Books for providing me with an eARC of Wish You Were Her

A fantastic return to Lake Pristine in Elle McNicoll's latest YA offering! Teen celebrity spends the summer trying to be a normal 18 year old in a small town, with a burgeoning email romance, a case of mistaken identity, and all the feels! As always McNicoll puts the autistic experience front and centre, without coming across as preachy. In spite of the whole celebrity aspect of it, I think a lot of teens (and adults!) are going to be able to relate to Allegra and Jonah.

I was really excited to read something from Elle McNicoll, having heard great things about her books! While this one personally wasn't for me (and I think it's important to explain why), I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. It was such a great opportunity to try a new UKYA author I've been hearing lots about, and I hope it finds its readers. I would've DNF'd the book if it wasn't an ARC, but I'm glad I persevered, as it did get better as I continued to read!

'Wish You Were Her' is a YA romcom set, we can assume, in the Scottish countryside, in a small, idyllic town called Lake Pristine. Following Allegra, an autistic actress, we return to Lake Pristine for a summer of lazy days by the lake and book festivals, shifts in her father's bookshop and teenage parties... and falling in love with moody bookseller Jonah, who, unbeknownst to him, Allegra has been communicating with for the entire summer, sharing intimate secrets and details about her private life - and his.

When written like this, I think you can agree that the book's plot sounds rather sweet, endearing, and entirely BookTok-y in nature. It reminded me of something Emily Henry would write, only with an insightful and well-written autistic protagonist, falling for another autistic character, though she doesn't tell him her diagnosis until later in the book. I really enjoyed the aim of the book, which, in my opinion, was to highlight what it must be like to be autistic and in the public eye - and how difficult it must be to form close romantic relationships as an autistic person. Elle McNicoll is definitely a trailblazer in this area, and I'm definitely interested in how her debut YA approaches this topic, as I've heard great things about it.

Unfortunately, the plot of this book got lost in translation, for me. I had a lot of personal issues with the writing style and pacing, and I wasn't necessarily the biggest fan of how McNicoll chose to portray Allegra as an actress and public figure. I couldn't quite work out how or why Allegra became to be such a huge, successful name, or what led her to act in the first place... I also had some issues with the portrayal of fame and its privileges, and with some of the choices Allegra made in terms of using said privilege to cheat and help her friends and community - such as creating a social media post that gained a character offers from a number of top universities, which, to me, seemed a lot like nepotism. It all felt fluffy and unrealistic, to me. There are some really great YA books written about those in the public eye, such as Sara Barnard's, but this didn't quite hit the mark.

I think its incredible focus on autism was holding this book together, but letting other themes fall short. A few other reviews comment on the lack of resolution, which I also found disappointing, but also on its poor setting - a personal gripe of mine in lots of books. I despised Lake Pristine, as I often despise small town settings. Cliched, unrealistic, wonderfully hazy and sunny, filled with independent shops and tourism, kids with untapped potential stuck there forever... I much prefer settings that feel heavily situated in specific locations, covering important local issues, the plants, architecture, history, culture, local area, language and more described in detail. So many YA books skimp out on this - but there are plenty of great books which don't. I can't connect to a book that deliberately makes its setting - even the country its set in - so ambiguous.

I also found the lack of diversity startling. I absolutely don't think all books have to be diverse, especially when they're set in small towns or communities which likely aren't extremely multicultural, but this book felt startlingly samey. Please correct me if I'm forgetting any LGBT or POC characters, because I can't recall a single one. Most of the characters felt extremely flat and privileged, possibly because Lake Pristine felt so nothingy - a bit like Dream Harbor in the Laurie Gilmore series. I often find that in books focused on one issue, such as providing disability representation or LGBT rep, they forget to include characters from other minority groups.

There were quite a few other issues I had with the book and its plot, particularly surrounding the concept of the email relationship and how Allegra continued to chat intimately with Jonah online knowing who he was in real life - and that he didn't have a clue that it was her he was talking to - but I don't want to spend another hundred words bashing this book, because I know it'll find an audience somewhere... it just wasn't for me.

I know this likely won't be read by the publisher, but I do think it's important to bring up these issues, which I'm seeing more often in contemporary YA. I don't think it's enough to have a book with good autism representation, if the book has such big issues outside of that. If you did enjoy this book, do let me know why! I'd love to understand more about where this went wrong for me.

The first book I read by Elle McNicoll was Show Us Who You Are. I read it in one sitting and I was absolutely hooked.

I read A Kind of Spark soon after, again in one sitting. I have read everything else she has written in the years since, and I've loved them all.

Wish You Were Her is no different. Set in the same world as Some Like it Cold with the same small town setting of Lake Pristine and some overlapping characters, we follow a new protagonist and her struggles with fame and how her neurodiversity interacts with this world.

I loved the setting and it was great to be back in Lake Pristine - which cleverly could be the kind of small town in either the UK or elsewhere. The fact we're following a book festival and spend a lot of time in a bookshop is obviously appealing, and made for the perfect background to this romance.

Allegra made for a likeable protagonist and I feel her strength and conviction will provide an amazing role model for young teens. The romance definitely had You've Got Mail vibes and I enjoyed seeing Allegra and Jonah navigate all obstacles thrown their way. Their budding romance is heartfelt and charming.

A delightful rom-com that kept me turning the pages and sucked me into Allegra and Jonah's world. Heartfelt, emotional and tender, but punchy and extremely enjoyable at the same time!

Thank you to the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have been so excited about this book that I was thrilled to receive an early copy.

I loved Allegra. A young Hollywood star could be spoilt and stuck up, but she's just a young kid who wants to be normally and I instantly loved her. Jonah was also a well-rounded, troubled but passionate young man who really shone. The only character I'd have liked a bit more of was Allegra's dad George; there were a few things a bit unfinished with his story.

I read a lot of child/YA books, and as much as I love them, I'm very aware that I'm a 31 year old reading a kids book and I feel I have to justify myself. But with this one, whilst its target aged is 12+, I felt it was equally as wondering as an adult book as there's lots that older people will relate to.

I know it's *just* a fun romcom and maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it really shows the downsides of fame, particularly at a young age. We think of it as glamorous and exciting, lots of money and fancy clothes etc. but it can be very difficult, especially at such an impressionable age.

I loved the exploration of neurodiversity in it. I believe Elle is autistic herself, and you can tell she has a personal passion for it. She's not just added an autistic character because she wants to tick a box, it means something to her, and that then gives the characters more depth.

This is a genuine, beautiful romance novel. I haven't read one of them for so long and it was just what I needed. Cosy, warming, funny, hopeful, and joyful. It's so full of love, love for family, friends, in a romantic sense; a love for your home and a job.

It was fully absorbing and addictive and just flew by. It manages to be deep but not bogged down in seriousness.

I didn't realise it was part of a series and it didn't make any difference to the reading of this whatsoever. But I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for the others.

This is a great YA for neurodiverse rep and it comps greatly with You’ve Got Mail.
It was a quick and easy read that made me go through many emotions which makes this a book I will go back to.

i have been thinking over and over how to start this review as this book is beyond amazing I have never cried so much with such raw emotion in a great way not bad . i read some like it cold a few years back and loved it so much , i feel that Elle just did one better .

The plot to this story of a young girl called Allegra who managed to get her dream job on t.v show and one thing she really wanting is love real love and to be seen and feel normal as she is autistic ,i could relate so much to this story as i have a son who lives with autism . this story really hit my heart hard so i could understand what Allegra was feeling I never wanted to give a character a hug so much .

t thought that Elle did a wonderful job writing such a wonderful enemies to lovers story i thing she written this story with such grace and honesty so heart warming , plenty of teen drama and very swoon worthy story .

Elle if you see this review i would just like to say thank you for helping others living with autism feel seen , i honestly got so emotional reading this story you have created i wish i could give this book 10 stars i feel everyone should read this .

thank you to the publisher and elle for asking me to review this wonderful story . 5 stars .

Allegra found herself rocketed to stardom after appearing in a successful TV series. Needing a break from the limelight, she heads to the small town of Lake Pristine to stay with her father for the summer as he organises the annual Lake Pristine book festival. On arrival she bumps - literally - into Jonah, who works at her father's book store and they get off on the wrong foot. Can they overcome their differences?

This is a cute YA romance with the fairly typical will-they-won't-they story line as Allegra and Jonah try to make sense of their feelings for each other. It was interesting to read a romance book through the eyes of autistic characters and the additional challenges that they face trying to navigate social norms.

I have adored everything that I've ever read from Elle McNicoll and this new release is no different. Just a joy from start to finish and I can't recommend it enough!

Wish you were her
By Elle McNicoll
Published by Pan Macmillan

Elle McNicoll bestselling author & screen writer does it again!
‘Wish you were her’ holds nothing back. This truthful, hard-hitting yet beautiful love story takes us into their world. A cruel world lived by autistic people, not understood by neurotypical’s.

For some of us this is the dream we idolise when we watch and follow in the footsteps of our big screen actors. The fame, the fortune and the lifestyle of money and splendour. But it comes at a cost - the lack of privacy, the inability of others to understand and empathise.

18 year old Allegra Brooks, movie star of the big screen returns to her hometown of Lake Pristine hoping for a summer “get away” from it all. The annual book festival is in full swing and the employees at her fathers bookshop are not sure what to make of the returning daughter turned film star. Hoping the book shop & her home town are to be her sanctuary and the townsfolk her barrier to the intrusive outside world. All she wants is a normal summer holiday just like any other teenager. But things don’t always go to plan especially when jealousy and greed react with love and rejection.

This funny, witty romcom will keep you wanting to know more, understand more and hopefully fulfil what we all take for granted - our freedom.

Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.
#Netgalley

An absolute joy to read, I adored seeing such beautifully written neurodivergent characters in this type of story. The YA romance of the summer.

Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy. A great YA romance. A small town bookseller and a big time actress, all the perfect ingredients. Elle McNicoll is an auto-buy author for me.

Another fantastic YA from Elle, I adored Some Like it Cold last year and feel exactly the same for Wish You Were Her. I love the representation of neurodivergent characters in Elles writing and she does it so well especially being Autistic herself. The characters were very well written and I definitely fell for our little romance and was completely voting for it with the little you’ve got mail vibe of things. This has now become the top of my Elle reads and I wish I could live in this small town because it is perfect and has everything that I need. Thank you Elle for once again writing a perfect YA please keep giving more of them!

Fantastic romcom set in the same town as Some Like It Cold. We have new character Allegra, her father the book shop owner George, Simon and Jonah. Allegra is a 18-year-old autistic film star needing a break and a summer out of the limelight.
If you enjoyed the shop around the corner/you’ve got mail, romance, autistic representation and truth you are bound to love this.
I know I did. Another brilliant Elle McNicoll production.

This was brilliant. Allegra, a celebrity, needs a break for the summer so she heads to her dad's and to the book festival he organises. She hasn't told anyone, but before she arrived she started an email flirty conversation with one of the workers in the shop. She spends time trying to work out who it is and how to tell them. There are so many twists and turns, but eventually she gets what she so very desperately needs and deserves. She is autistic and chooses not to tell anyone, but eventually she doe and how people around her respond is wonderful. Such a wonderful story. I hope there are more Allegra adventures so we can see how she navigates other areas of her life.

Although this is part of a series, Wish You Were Her can easily be read as a standalone, and it delivers a cosy, bookish romance with strong autistic representation.

While YA isn’t my go-to genre, the You've Got Mail comparison had me intrigued, and it certainly captured a similar charm.

The setting was a definite highlight. Lake Pristine provided a charming backdrop, and the bookshop and book festival elements were particularly effective.

If you’ve ever dreamed of working in a small-town bookshop, this aspect will undoubtedly resonate.

Seeing Allegra, a global film star, get to experience a more typical teenage life and build friendships was also a lovely element of the story.

One of the book’s biggest strengths is its representation of autistic characters. Allegra is portrayed as down-to-earth despite her fame, which was refreshing.

However, while the autistic representation was important and well done, it sometimes felt a little heavy-handed. I understand that autism affects all aspects of life, but certain points were repeated so frequently that it felt a little much. For those less aware, this aspect will likely be eye-opening and valuable.

While I enjoyed much of the story, there were a few elements that didn’t fully land for me. George’s distant behaviour towards Jonah felt unnecessarily harsh - I understood that he wanted him to expand his horizons, but it didn’t quite justify his treatment of him.

Miscommunication also plays a big role (as expected with a You've Got Mail retelling), which was frustrating at times. Additionally, though Allegra and Jonah are meant to be 18, some of their interactions felt more mature - though that could just be my own perspective!

I was initially surprised by the American setting, given Elle McNicoll’s usual Scottish locations. A moment where Jonah remarks that Allegra’s Instagram following is “almost more than Scotland” made me wonder if the author briefly forgot she was writing an American teen! That said, the setting was necessary for the story being told, and a Scottish backdrop likely wouldn’t have worked in the same way.

Overall, Wish You Were Her is a quick and enjoyable read that balances romance, self-discovery, and bookish charm. It’s engaging, with a well-developed setting and strong representation, even if certain elements felt a little frustrating.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Allegra Brooks is taking a break from her stratospheric career as an actor by helping at her dad's bookshop as they prepare for the anuual Lake Placid book festival. Although she loves acting, it comes at a great personal cost with the usual horrific experiences of being a woman and an actor compounded by the fact that she is autistic and spends her days masking and terrified to show her real self. Before she arrives at Lake Placid, Allegra begins an anonymous email correspondence with one of the booksellers at Brooks' Books. When she meets her father's employees for real, surly, combative Jonah and friendly, welcoming Simon, she is sure she knows who is writing those emails. The truth, as ever, is far from simple.

Elle McNicoll has done it again and written a book that autistic readers can identify with and allistic readers can learn to do better from (though this makes it sound far, far, more preachy than it is!) It hits many favourite romance tropes , the most obvious being The Shop Around the Corner/You've Got Mail connection, while having Allegra astutely make the point that tropes don't devalue romance as a genre anymore than their use in crime fiction does. It's an easy, fun but heartwarming read which still manages to make the reader think about how the world is not kind to the neurodivergent and how much gender impacts the experience of neurodiversity, fame and life in general. Highly recommended.

As a big fan of not only YA but Elle McNicol, I was really excited to receive the ARC of Wish You Were Her.
On the whole it was a fairly good read. Obvious positives are the representation of autistic characters who lead the story, and do this well. Despite being a world wide mega star, Allegra is portrayed as overwhelmingly just the girl next door, which I guess was good.
I liked the setting in Lake Pristine and supporting characters. My favourite was Jonah who I thought went on more of a journey than anyone else.
I did feel the story dragged on a bit and was waiting for more of a conclusion around Allegra’s relationship with her dad, but hey ho it was all harmless enough in the end really.