Clementine has accidentally freed a British genie from his ancient British teapot, and she’s not thrilled about it.
However, appalled by his living conditions—and grudgingly impressed by his jawline—she vows to set him free. But before he can join the human world, the genie must prove he can live like a human—and he must do it in one month, or he’ll fade away for good. As Clementine and the genie embark on a series of How to be Human lessons, and as they pretend to date in order to discourage the men trying to woo her thanks to a wish gone wrong, the two of them discover that being human is more complex than they expected—and that love can be found between the unlikeliest of pairs.
Gracie lives in a tiny town in Idaho, where she subsists on a diet of chocolate, romance novels, and kisses from her cute family. She may or may not have a cheesecake addiction, as well as an addiction to scribbling story ideas on whatever flat surfaces happen to be nearby. Clean romance, romantic comedy, and mystery rom coms are her passion.
Gracie really is the best at mashing up genres to create its own magic! Mixing slight fantastical/magical elements with romcom was a stroke of genius that was done so well with this book!
There were moments that made me laugh, moments that made me sigh, moments that made me tear up…moments that just made me feel! (Happily human here!)
Alaric was such a fun, bristly character! From his polished appearance to his utter lack of tact. He didn’t care what people thought or felt, but to see him learn “what it takes to be a human” while still staying true to some of his more stuffy characteristics was a fun experience!
Clementine was a doll! She was sweet, patient, strong, and had a little sass to her. Her openness about her anxiety was nice to read about and being in her head felt HUMAN-LIKE.
In the surface they don’t seem to make sense, but they just fit! They just felt like they KNEW each other…
It was a super enjoyable story, and I’m looking forward to going back to Carousel Cove! It was a cute, quirky little town and I love it! 4/5 stars
* I received this book from the author**All opinions are my own*
I am ENCHANTED! I wasn’t sure I could love a Gracie Ruth Mitchell book as much as I loved Heidi Lucy Loses Her Mind… BUT!! I do. I absolutely do! 😘
This story is one of hilarious perfection and tender reflection. Clementine and Alaric are precious beans. (And Flossie is a hoot!) I laughed aloud even while my heart ached by turns.
And the nicknames! He calls her “love” (always a fav!) & “Little Genie” while she calls him “Tangerine” (the story behind this one is hilarious!).
Also, THE ANXIETY REP! I loved how it was handled—the way Alaric held Clementine and said, “Breathe, love.” Totally not crying.
So, if you’re looking for a hilariously heartwarming contemporary fantasy about a genie with the personality of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock learning what it means to be human, the vibrant woman who sets her wishes aside to help him be free, a matchmaking meddlesome aunt, a solid friend group, and more than a few matchmaking disasters, YOU NEED THIS BOOK!
Warning: You may finish and find yourself wanting your own magic teapot with a British genie. Just sayin’. 😉
You don't understand, this was the CUTEST, COZIEST read ever, and I'm so glad I took a chance on it. <3 I enjoyed the references to Aladdin, the absolute Britishness of a certain genie, and Clementine's character arc. And the anxiety rep, ahh!
I'm very curious about the carousel, and I hope to read more in this series!
❌ARC review❌ Thank you Gracie Ruth Mitchell for selecting me to read an ARC of your book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I knew this book would be fun. I underestimated how fun it would be. From the first few pages and throughout the entire book, I laughed and snorted at Mr. Alaric Genie 🧞♂️ and how chaotic sweet Clementine were. This was like that Robin Williams movie, Bicentennial Man, but so much funnier and wacky. I loved the characters and how they all worked together. Even at times I found my heartstrings being tugged by them.
This book follows FMC, Clementine, and her new found genie friend, self-named Alaric, as they navigate the hilarious wish of Clementines parental figure, Flossie. Through blunt exchanges and learning to be human while navigating all the crazy that is being a female that’s just encountered a genie, this dual POV will have you grinning and rooting for the main characters. I’ll be picking up more books by Gracie Ruth Mitchell in the future. Thank you!
I will need 5-10 business years to recover from this book. I feel like my heart has grown 3 sizes and thawed at the same time. Calling me out for my own jaded-ness in one sentence and making me giggle in the next! The premise was hilariously silly and it was very very fun to read! The romance was so beautiful and wholesome (no spice at all) and I love how Gracie Ruth Mitchell writes her characters because they were beautiful and kind! Restoring my faith in humanity X
I found it hard to get into at first but I quickly became hooked and really loved it. I really enjoyed the whole book! (ALSO, Gilmore Girls reference???? Say less)
Grateful to have received a digital ARC of this book! All opinions are my own xx
If you met a genie and were granted 3 wishes, what would you wish for? I know what most bookworms would wish for: a giant library with rolling ladders, right? So, let's go with non-bookish wish. What non-bookish thing would you wish for?
Wish You Weren't Here by @authorgracieruth was such a fun magical reading experience! I love how, just like in all the other books I've read by this author, these characters aren't "perfect" and they're flawed or just weird according society's standards! Gracie's books will make you laugh, but also learn about yourself.
I loved the connection between Alaric and Clementine! So many fun moments between them in this book! If you like romantic comedies but also love a touch of magic, you should definitely preorder Wish You Weren't Here so you have it when it releases February 13th!
I don't want to give to much of this story away, so here are some of my favorite things:
🧞♂️A wish gone very wrong 🧞♂️Fake dating 🧞♂️Walks on the beach 🧞♂️Strawberries 🧞♂️Learning what it means to be human 🧞♂️First attempt at a kiss🤣
I was given an advanced reader's copy of Wish You Weren't Here by the author in exchange for an honest review! I had so much fun reading something pretty different from my normal go to romance!
This book was so no cute!!! I legit binged it Monday afternoon, and was captured by the premise—a genie living in a teapot, learning how to be a human again with the wild, anxious human girl.
And boy did Gracie deliver on that premise! I fell in love with Alaric and Clementine. I love his bluntness, her sass. I loved Aunt Flossie and Willa and Sophie (hope we get the friends’ stories soon 😉).
Carrousel Cove is described as a quaint eastern seaboard town that I felt drawn too. It felt like I’d been there before and I loved it.
So cute! Cant wait for more books from Carrousel Cove!
it's a warm blueberry muffin fresh out of the oven. it's "enchanted" meets "aladdin" meets a hallmark movie. it's goofy and silly and I ate 👏 it 👏 up 👏
Gracie Ruth Mitchell is able to bring such a fantastical element to all of her books-even more so in this book because it's a FANTASY!!!
The second I found out this author was writing fantasy I knew I was grabbing this one the second I could! This is such a fun contemporary fantasy-I mean, who doesn't want a British genie popping out of a teapot? So much fun.
Clementine is such a quirky character. There were so many ways she related to readers. Alaric's character made me laugh out loud so many times with his naivety and no nonsense talk. Some things just do not need to be said out loud lol.
This book also had more depth than I was expecting and found her representation of anxiety well done and the found family trope strong and heartwarming.
Overall, I found this book to be a super fun escape and well worth the read. I'm excited to see what comes next for Carousel Cove!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Content: mentions of illness, drug abuse, anxiety, fantasy elements, romance-kisses only.
I'm not sure how to rate this one or even how to review it. The author has a great writing style and the book is laugh-out-loud funny in spots, with surprisingly heartfelt and thoughtful themes expertly woven in. I would also give it 10/10 for originality.
However . . . there was some content that made very uncomfortable and made me skim several scenes including, but not limited to. 1). Going a bit too far in the kissing scenes. 2). Lots of ogling and objectifying of the main guy, including . . . . smelling him. 3). A very odd obsession with mentioning menstrual hygiene products and periods as much as possible. 4). The main girl has a "favorite hand gesture" she uses repeatedly. 5). And the one that really made me mad- And then having the author profess Christianity in the acknowledgements just further cemented my discomfiture at the decision to include some decidedly un-Biblical content.
Mitchell is obviously a talented writer, so it's too bad that the shine had to be rubbed off the apple so thoroughly.
I am not sure how to properly articulate how stinking fun, sweet, adorable, and yet also deep this story is—but I binged it in one day and entirely adore it. You’ve got a small coastal town, a meddling elderly mother figure, a British genie from a teapot, and a lovable, quirky FMC. I mean, what is not to love?!
Things I Loved: -Flossie -Dream Hottie -“‘I’m usually afforded more respect than this. Alfred the Great commissioned a new ermine cloak to meet me.’ ‘Alfred and I are working with significantly different resource pools,’ I say flatly.” -Wet towels -Tangerine -Great friends -“And it occurs to me, for the first time, that no one has ever asked me the questions I’m asking Alaric; no one has ever asked if I want out of my teapot. No one has ever asked me if I like where I am or what I’m doing, if I want to change, if I want something different. Why has no one ever asked me those questions?” -CONDOLENCES 😆 -Teach me -“Don’t ruin the moment.” -Raft made out of driftwood -“I love you infinity hundred, Flossie.” -Happy and healthy 💜 -Handholding -“‘Mmm,’ he says, his voice musing. ‘I think you might be right.’ ‘I’m always right.’ ‘I’m certain that’s not accurate.’” -Scent of strawberry -“‘Your face is very red.’ ‘Yeah,’ I say. ‘Because I’m flattered and insulted. And embarrassed. And pleased, and annoyed. I’m someone who has a lot of feelings, Tangerine. Sometimes that results in excessive blushing.’ ‘Duly noted.’” -“Friends feel this way?” -So tall and so British -“Perhaps that’s what being human really is, I think as I go into the bathroom and stare at my tattoo-free chest instead—feeling things, all the time, and never conveniently.” -“Breathe, love.” -“I think I like my teapot.” -The whole stinking ending. 💜
This just book pulled me out of a little slump and made my day—I am still cheesing over it as I write this review. Gracie has a gift of being able to weave hard, real things into her stories in a way that makes you feel seen and hopeful—and not the least bit down. Trust me when I say that you do not want to miss out on this delightful and heartwarming book!
While Alaric was a wonderful MMC with his innocence & desire to learn all things human, I honestly just really adored Clementine (her anxiety, her heart, and so much more that would be spoilers). And Alaric & Clementine together were absolutely adorable together.
I appreciated the moments of depth and the heartwarming nature of the story that helped to ground the fantastical fun of the “teapot genie” storyline. It also really made me think about what humanity and the human experience truly means, what a gift it is.
But, there were too many overly-cringy-moments and dialogue that felt clunky. I also didn’t appreciate the reference to a “favorite hand gesture” that the female lead repeatedly made toward the love interest. Top it off with the genie supporting the Foster Aunt in her own euthanasia plan, and this just wasn’t the book for me!
Thank you to the author for the chance to read an eARC and provide my honest thoughts.
I absolutely loved this whole entire concept. It was insanely clever and I was busting up laughing within the first few chapters. The dry wit and humor was played well.
I really adored Clementine. The anxiety rep was great and I felt connected to the ups and downs and feeling “boring” and finding where you want to be. Wow did that hit home on many levels of my soul.
The romance with Alaric was sweet. It’s the best kind of slow burn. I was looking for a little bit *more* in the first half, but I adored the way things progressed in the second half. And I found the ending to have a lot of great themes and endearing moments to both characters and what they wanted out of life and how they found a way to do that together.
There’s some cute small town antics and I loved the little oceanside area. This was another wonderful book by Mitchell and I am just easily charmed by the sweetness with a touch of magic her books provide.
Gracie Ruth Mitchell has done it again! I don’t know how she does it, but she absolutely NAILS every single genre that she writes. This cozy fantasy felt like a romcom with the perfect amount of magic mixed in to make it absolutely delightful!
I love Gracie Ruth Mitchell’s writing style. She has great humor but she also dives deep into what it means to be human. Her thoughts and ideas are beautiful and poetic and I just adore her!
Alaric and Clementine were such quirky, delightful, lovable characters. We got to see into their sweet souls and unique but relatable personalities. Their antics were so much fun! I loved all the time they spent together and the slow burn of their chemistry and love building. The whole book played out like a movie in my head and was so charming to picture.
This book will give you all the feels and have you singing “A Whole New World” as you laugh about this British genie trying to figure out how to be human.
2.75/5💫 I’m finally ✨free✨ I’ve been reading this on and off for a long time now. For some reason, this just seemed so long, too much information and drama I did not want to know. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the first half, the Carousel Cove town, the characters, and the setting was cozy and nice enough.
The MMC is a genie, but instead of living in a lamp, he lives in a teapot, cuz you know, he’s British and wears a suit 24/7. He gets accidentally summoned by the FMC and they make a deal to train him on how to be a human again. Fast forward fast forward, sparks fly and they both start having feelings for each other. Okay, so the problem I had?? He goes away and they’re separated for one year, and then he comes back entirely human. He tells her that he had kissed three women to ‘experiment’ and see if he feels any spark with them or is it just the FMC🙂 AND he dared to tell her the women were more beautiful than her too!!!
Listen, I know he’s been trapped in a lamp, sorry teapot, for god knows how long but what the hell???!!! And the girl just takes him back and has a laugh about him allegedly cheating on her?? What in the world🙏🏼🙏🏼 I can’t for the life of me take them seriously
I’m sorry but no(not sorry)its too bad bcs I really wanted to like the book, and the characters weren’t annoying me. But here we are
Absolutely charmingly adorable!!! This was just what I needed!
I can’t say how much I enjoyed this. The comedy, the fantasy elements, the romance? The cute and cozy beach town? I LOVED it all! (And the kiss teaching scene? Oh my Lanta. 🫠)
Alaric/Tangerine was so cute, clueless and funny! I loved seeing him learn to be human. And Clementine was a girl after my own heart. I could relate so much to her. Her anxiety and panic, her love of being “boring”… I loved reading about a heroine like that.
I hope Gracie continues this series for Willa and Sophie! I’ll definitely be reading them whenever they happen.
This book was just one giggle after the other. I LOVED Mr. Genie and his very British ways (so tall, so British) and I really enjoyed the way the romance was subtly woven into this story amid character growth for both main characters.
The connection between Clementine and Flossy was also so sweet, and Carousel Cove is a delight and a place I want to go back to!
In essences, this sweet enemies to lovers with a fantasy twist will delight readers and warm their hears.
My rating: 4.5*
Thanks to the author for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
This book is witty, charming, swoony & oh so magical.
I don’t think I have ever related to a character more than I have to Clementine.
To her anxiety. Her insecurities. Her fear of change Her desire to simply stay & be instead of wander & adventure.
I adored everything about her character & her personality. Also, her & her friends were hilarious together & I am hoping they each get their own books!
& Alaric. Oh sweet, overly honest, smells like tea, British Alaric.
I was cringing & giggling & blushing right along with Clementine at the things Alaric said & did. He was swoony without even meaning to be, instantly protective, & so utterly adorable in his journey to becoming human.
The banter is spot on. The romance is swoony. The side characters are perfection.
Gracie Ruth Mitchell is a go to author of mine for cozy, comfort reads. Seriously, if you want to feel warm & cozy & giggly & melty, just pick up a GRM book.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭: 🍓cozy magical realism romcon 🍓an English genie that lives in a teapot 🍓she calls him Tangerine 🍓he calls her Little Genie 🍓she’s teaching him how to be human 🍓meddling aunt 🍓“Breathe, love” 🍓best girl friends 🍓fake dating & practice kisses 🍓he helps her through panic attacks 🍓e likes the way she smells like strawberries. A lot.
Thanks to Gracie Ruth Mitchell for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Wish You Weren’t Here comes out February 13, 2024!
A genie in a teapot. Make that a BRITISH genie. And a chaotic, emotional, lovably odd young woman. All this and more is the basis of a delightfully magical tale, full of humor and heart.
“Do you believe in magic?”
I’ve always loved genie shows and cartoons, but never really thought about what being a genie would entail and I adored how this author placed ideas and feelings into my heart and mind about what it could be like. While the whole story was quirky and fun, especially with the whole cast of unique characters, I felt an underlying thread of sadness and longing. However, when the swoony moments were slapped into my heart, all those despairing thoughts dissipated in a poof. The gamut of emotions were felt through the progression of these pages and it was a fun journey.
The setting, a small town right on the coast in New England, was perfect. I felt the pacing of the story reflected the stride of small town life, and it was entertaining to visit places the locals hold in regard.The disarray of the antique shop was a reflection of Clementine’s life and I loved how blunt and honest Alaric was–they had a very interesting relationship that was pure joy (and laughter) to watch.
Put a pin in Carousel Cove. I can’t wait to read more about it!
Content: mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
I want to thank Gracie for trusting me with an ARC for her newest book which is now LIVE IN PAPERBACK! So freaking excited!
Going into this story I thought it was going to be this cute, beachfront romcom and while it was most definitely that, this book had me SO EMOTIONAL! Gracie packs such a punch with all the emotions both our MCs feel and WOW I was not expecting to cry so much as I did reading this!
Clementine is adorably a mess and I loved her for it! I loved that her room was a mess, her hair was always up in a chaotic bun and that her clothes were just some cutoff sweats & an off the shoulder shirt! She was instantly relatable and I loved her dynamic with Flossie and her friends! (Which I can’t wait to see more of now that this is going to be a SERIES!)
Now, let’s talk about our British Genie shall we? Not only is he grumpy, which I love of course, but he is a tall, delicious genie stuck in a teapot who wears a three piece suit..I mean SWOON! I knew I was going to instantly love him the first moment he used the word, “love” I become a puddle for the endearment, good heavens!
The last half of this book surprised me in the best possible way and I can’t help but add this British Genie to my endless list of swooning book boyfriends!
You don’t want to miss out on this cutesy romantic, but deeply emotional book!
Can’t wait to have a copy on my shelf! Thanks again Gracie for trusting me!
Gracie Ruth Mitchell has more imagination than anyone I know. I loved the premise of a British genie living in a teapot. It took a bit for me to get into the story at the beginning, but there was so much to discover.
I loved the awkward situations, Alaric’s blunt honesty as he struggled to learn how to be human and what’s acceptable and what’s not. Even though he may have inadvertently insulted her many times, Clementine was loyal to a fault.
The representation of anxiety and panic attacks was very realistically done. Alaric was so good at grounding Clementine with his “Breathe, Love”.
The suitors hopped up on magic were so over the top. Very entertaining.
If you love fantasy, romance and deeper issues you will probably enjoy this book.
Wish You Weren’t Here is just enough magic, just enough laugh and everything you need about love 💜✨
I love books where I can get lost and simply forget all the background noise! The MCs are everything from lovable, funny, quirky and cute!!
This book follows Miss Clementine & her is he really here hot & perfect Genie Alaric. We follow these two on a hilarious path of dodging the repercussions of Flossie’s (Clementine’s parental figure) first wish, teaching a genie how to be human and Clementine figuring out what she really wants out of life. Be prepared to have your heart strings pulled, to laugh and to be so giddy 😍 what would you do if a gorgeous genie magically appeared & what would you wish for? 💜✨
Many of the romance books out there feel so stale - like they are following a recipe card for how to mass produce lots of books that readers want. This one was very different. The first few chapters I had a hard time believing in the characters but as the book progressed I started to like them a lot more. I especially liked that while romance is a big part of the story, so is discovering yourself and loving your family. If you’re in to romcoms but get tired of the same thing happening in every book, this is a good one to try.
I absolutely loved Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder by Gracie Ruth Mitchell, so I jumped at the chance to read her latest!
The thing I love the MOST is that this isn't a rom-com with a normal trope. This is completely different. Our main character, Clementine, accidentally frees a British genie from a teapot in her antiques shop. As she tries to teach Alaric how to be human, mishaps and miscommunications ensue. I loved the slow-burn romance, it was absolutely perfect for the situation.
I definitely recommend this one if you love sweet romances but love something a little outside the box! It looks like this is the first in a series, and I can't wait to see where the next book leads!
Thank you to Gracie Ruth Mitchell for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review and opinions. Book comes out on February 13, 2024.