Wish You Were Her is a phenomenal book that celebrates the power of love and literature. Elle McNicoll continues to cement her status as a must-read author across her work.
Allegra and Jonah might just be some of my favourite characters of the year so far. Allegra is firmly in the spotlight with her rapid rise to fame. The way she talks about acting is fascinating, with the way she utilises the survival skills she’s learnt from masking to pour herself into a character, but also in the way she feels free in letting loose in that same space. She can just be and that is such a powerful thing. Her narrative voice is incredibly charming with a sense of vulnerability. She is smart, caring, loving, thoughtful and fiercely loyal. Her sense of humour is sharp and makes for some excellent moments. Jonah is outwardly a little quieter, remaining in the shelves of books and feeling overlooked at times. He shares a lot of Allegra’s traits, though they do nothing but clash at first. He sees her as a brash interloper and she sees him as a snobby and colder person. Of course, nothing is at it seems and watching them warm up to one another is magical. Around them is a stellar cast of supporting characters who I adore too. There may even be a few familiar faces that appear.
McNicoll makes her books such a safe space. They face up to the sometimes cruel realities of life but they also feel like an escape and a much needed source of comfort in trying times. For me, they’re like sunshine bottled—full of joy and love and happiness. This is no exception with a wonderful love story. The romance in this book is top tier with plenty of hurdles to overcome and the kind of chemistry that sparks off the page. There is great banter and playful dynamics that have an undercurrent of that intangible something that makes your heart catch fire. You just fall in love with them and want them to succeed against it all. For me, it’s the kind of book that makes you believe in true love.
I loved the representation in them and how so many readers will be able to see themselves reflected, centre stage and thriving. Autistic readers deserve to see themselves in the leading roles. Both Allegra and Jonah have been mistreated by a world that refuses to understand them, particularly with toxic friendships and the glare of the celebrity spotlight. They have a shared understanding of navigating the world through this lens that is deep and wonderful to witness. There are a multitude of wonderful scenes of quiet and vocal support for one another that speaks to this in a truthful and deeply affecting way. The dynamic between the two of them is palpable and shifting in a way that feels real. You cannot help but root for these enemies to turn into lovers.
If Some Like It Cold was a love letter to films and the power of the cinema, this continues that pattern but also is such a dedication of love to the book community. Literature and film can connect people from all over the world, pulling them into a shared story. McNicoll explores that here with the central book festival as a shining beacon of books bringing people together. It is also constantly referenced in the dialogue and narrative, with bookish arguments forming some of Allegra and Jonah’s initial clash. We go down well-trodden paths of arguments that bookworms will recognise. There is also some interesting commentary about certain types in the industry that readers may recognise. Being back in Lake Pristine is brilliant too, adding more texture to the familiar setting from Some Like It Cold. There is a real throughline about homecoming and what that means to return to the place you grew up in. The expectations and mindset of a community can be a heavy burden, but so can dreaming about what you want to do both within and outside of it.
Wish You Were Her was a phenomenal return to Lake Pristine with a heartfelt romance at its core. It was a real ray of sunshine.
Wish You Were Her is available from Amazon, Waterstones, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of June 5th 2025.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
18-year-old Allegra Brooks has skyrocketed to fame after starring in a hit television show, and she’s the overnight success that everyone’s talking about. They just don’t know she’s autistic. Now, all she wants is a normal teenage summer.
Her destination for escape is the remote Lake Pristine and its annual Book Festival, organized by the dedicated but unfriendly senior bookseller, Jonah Thorne.
In small towns like Lake Pristine, misunderstandings abound, and before long the two are drawn into high-profile hostility that’s a far cry from the drama-free holiday Allegra was craving. Thank goodness for her saving grace: the increasingly personal emails she’s been sharing with a charming and anonymous bookseller who is definitely not Jonah Thorne . . .
An unforgettable romcom about finding the one person who makes you feel yourself when the whole world is watching.
