Diana O’Toole is in a good place in her life. She’s got a great job, a successful boyfriend, and she’s anticipating a proposal during an upcoming getaway to the Galapagos islands. According to Diana, everything is on track for the benchmark of her 30th birthday. Then Covid-19 hits and because her boyfriend is a surgical resident, he's obligated to stay behind and urges Diana to go to Galapagos without him.

Because this book is about Covid-19, one could assume that it had to be written recently and quickly. There are some areas of the book where you can feel that the story is rushed. I don’t think I knew this book was about Covid-19 before I received the ARC, but I can see it being “too soon” for some folks.

There is a huge twist in about the middle of the book which separates the book into two parts. I can only describe this twist as whiplash and it will make you rethink everything in the first half. We follow Diana as she navigates these two parts in different ways. Diana is an interesting character, and I really couldn’t decide if I liked her or not.

It is hard to talk about this book without giving away the twist, but it makes for interesting conversation. While the Covid-19 aspect of this book is heavily researched and written about in a relative way, I found the implications of Diana’s specific situation the most fascinating part of the book. I was not expecting the direction this story went or the ending.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #Ballantine #JodiPicoult #WishYouWereHere

Diana O’Toole is ready to begin her perfect life, all according to her self-imposed plan. Married by thirty, kids before thirty-five, and continuous career advancement in the art world. Then…a pandemic hits and ruins the vacation on which she was sure her physician boyfriend was to propose.
There have been a few novels published since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Honestly, I was worried about reading this being that we are still dealing with it. In that vein, if you are in a position in which you aren’t ready to read about the trauma that we have all been through with the pandemic, then I advise you to read this title at a later time. I was expecting to be slightly annoyed with this book because that’s how I feel about the pandemic. I should have known better than to doubt Ms. Picoult. Her characters and writing are as compelling and vivid as ever. Dana is as relatable as any of us. We have all been changed by the experience of being quarantined for so long as well as the aftermath of the quarantine. Ms. Picoult is a very skilled writer. The beginning of this book was a wonderful experience. The main character is stranded on the Galapagos Islands for a big chunk of the book. I enjoyed reading about the animals that are native there as well as the vivid scenery.
The second half of the book tended to drag a little bit. Occasionally I felt inundated in information, almost as if the story had been forgotten in favor of research notes.
Overall, I deeply appreciated this emotional book and I’ll think twice before doubting Jodi Picoult again.

Plot: Diana has her life planned out perfectly, and is getting ready for a vacation in the Galapagos with her soon-to-be-fiancé Finn when Covid hits New York City. Finn, a doctor, isn’t able to leave, so Diana reluctantly goes without him. But Covid quickly spreads across the globe, and she finds herself stuck on the island and uses her time in isolation to examine her own evolution.

Hooooo boy. This book. Jodi Picoult has written another intimately-researched novel, and although Diana is a complicated character and often difficult to love (especially with the hindsight we now have of this time), her reactions to the pandemic felt genuine. True to her claim back in October 2020 (swipe for reference), I do think Picoult found a really interesting way to write about Covid. I cannot believe this book was written, edited and published in one year; I think some day it will be a historical reference of what spring 2020 was like. If you’re a lover of Jodi Picoult and ready to read about Covid (and have dreams of traveling to the tropics) – pick this up. If you have any doubt about whether you’re ready – I recommend waiting.

I, personally, was not ready for this book, and after bingeing the first 80% in two days, had to take a break. While Diana is in the Galapagos, Finn writes her Emails describing his time caring for Covid patients in NYC. As someone who has many loved ones who are healthcare professionals (including my husband), these sections were difficult to read and sent me into a pretty deep spiral of emotion. That being said, I do think Picoult did a fantastic job writing these sections. They are a reminder of what our essential workers went through—are STILL going through (please get vaccinated!). If you’re a HCP reading this – thank you ♥️

Wish Your Were Here is a scarily realistic and compelling book revolving around Covid-19. (Pre-warning: this is a pandemic related book and may not be for you - see below for more).

This is my first book by Picoult which took me by surprise. It was more complex than I expected. The pandemic gave many of us time to reflect and reassess what is important in our lives. Picoult captured the stark reality of pandemic emotions from start to ‘end’. This is not an escapist book however it is thought-provoking. My one big gripe was the stereotypical characterisation of characters of colour which was overdone and didn’t add to character development. It is also quite slow so this one is for the patient reader.

That being said, I did appreciate the humanity in the book, Diana’s inner journey and the exploration of how human lives evolves when faced with uncertainty.

CW/TW: If you have loss someone due to COVID-19 then this book may be a trigger for you. Other warnings: mental health issues, PTSD, self-harm, death, pandemic, suicidal thoughts/ideation

I feel like Picoult has really been branching out lately in her storytelling, adding more romance and these shifting timelines and more focus on magical realism. While I commend her for stretching her wings I'm not sure I'm used to it yet, I still start reading her books expecting the hard hitting emotional dives and legal interest. That being said, this book was lovely and surprising. The COVID 19 setting was very raw and when I first started it was a little hard to read as it's still very fresh, but I truly think Picoult did it justice. Overall I did like and would recommend this book just be careful of what expectations you have for a Jodi Picoult book.

I enjoy reading Jodi Picoult's work and "Wish You Were Here" was no different. While COVID is a topic in the book, I wasn't surprised that Jodi tackled this sometimes controversial subject. However, without COVID, the main character, Diane, wouldn't be thrust into her life in the Galapagos Islands. Jodi did a wonderful job of describing the islands - Something that I needed to read about with snow on the ground outside! I really enjoyed getting to know Diane and watching her evolve as the story went on.

P.S. I was thrilled to hear the rights to this book were sold to Netflix for adaptation as a feature film!

—w i s h y o u w e r e h e r e—
Have you read any books about or set in Covid times?
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Wish You Were Here is the latest release from @jodipicoult. It follows Diana, an art dealer in her late twenties, who travels solo to the Galápagos Islands right as the Covid-19 pandemic begins on a trip planned for her and her serious boyfriend who is a doctor on the frontlines and unable to travel with her.
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If I were going to use one word to describe to this book I would use surprising. The beginning, slightly slow moving as Diana grapples with her choices and figures out what to do while trapped in paradise, still offers some turns and unexpected moves from Diana. Picoult stirs up immediate feelings of panic and claustrophobia in ways that are relatable and well done.The second half of the book takes a sharp left turn and it is here that I really became invested in Diana and her story.
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To me, the plot and character development were pretty sublime. I thought the setup was intriguing but I loved the direction the book took instead even more. Covid and the pandemic play important roles and I find it therapeutic to reflect on these tumultuous times but I realize this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. In all, solid writing and an interesting concept.
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Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the eARC. Thanks to @librofm for the ALC as well, so I could flip flop between my kindle and the audio. It is read by Marin Ireland so is obviously divine.
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This is out now! Go get it!

If I had a nickel for each book I’ve read this year set in the Galapagos, I’d have 2 nickels. Which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it’s happened twice. This was actually super enjoyable. I’ve had mixed feelings about Jodi this year as I’ve been reading through her backlist and I’m happy to report I really liked this one. I only got annoyed a few times 🥴 but overall the storytelling, twists & readability was excellent. Set in March of 2020, Diana is heading to the Galapagos without her boyfriend while he stays home to work in the hospitals. I think I enjoyed the first half over the second half but really both were good. This was a quick little read (just over 300 pages) that I read in about 24 hours. If you haven’t guessed, this is set during the ✨event of last year✨ and overall it’s less about the craziness and more about the perseverance of the human spirit & being happy with the present. I did really enjoy the overall message, make sure you snag this one tomorrow!!

Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite author and has been ever since I first read The Pact over 20 years. Since then, I've read almost every book she's ever written and this one will forever have a special place in my heart.

Wish You Were Here opens with Diana, an associate specialist at Sotheby's, and Finn, a surgical resident, preparing for a two week romantic trip to the Galapagos Islands. Except that it's March 2020 and as the world starts to shut down (for just a few weeks, until everything can get under control of course), Finn is needed at the hospital and so they make a decision: Diana will go on their trip and Finn will hold down the fort at home until she returns. Except that once she gets to the Galapagos, she finds herself stuck there and unable to get back to the US. We watch her journey unfold, with parts of Finn's work in NYC woven through the story in letters, and a second story about a piece of art that Diana was working to sell also made a part of the book.

The story was all-consuming and I could barely put it down. Yes, it is a story about Covid, but it's really a story about human emotion and centering who we are and how far we'll go for the people we love. The story forces you to ask who your family is, and looks at the importance of the family we choose. I loved reading all about the Galapagos and, as usual, Picoult has done her research to bring this story to life. I am so excited to buy my own finished copy to add to my Picoult collection!

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

There should be a TW on this book about all the feelings and anxiety it drums up from the start of the pandemic, and all we didn't know/the uncertainty of what we were dealing with. That being said, I loved this book. Diana's trip to the Galápagos is enchanting, despite the island closure due to the pandemic. The people she meets are so very generous to her and she forms beautiful relationships with the family of the woman who takes her in and gives her food and shelter when the hotel is closed. Diana's day trips around the island with her newfound friends are mesmerizing, and I couldn't read this book fast enough so that I could get away and experience a virtual vacation and get to know more about the island. I wanted to dive into the ocean with her, swim with the local marine life, and make art on the beach from the flotsam and jetsam.

The longer Diana stays, the more she learns about herself and she starts to question everything she thought she wanted in life. I was totally shocked by the twist in this book. I did not see it coming. Not by a long shot. And it left me reeling, and also grieving for what was. Diana makes it through this twist and out of necessity continues her deep self-reflection and growth. Her journey is a reminder that we have to be true to ourselves, follow our hearts, our passion, take stock of what is important, and act on it..

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I loved this book, and it is one I would read again! I would also like Jodi to write more about this island. She has such a gift for taking her readers to new places and experience new things, and I am a huge fan!

Mind. Blown. That is the best way to describe how I felt after finishing this book. Completely incredible.

In March of 2020, Diana and Finn are thrust into the hell that is the COVID-19 pandemic at a time of uncertainty and panic. There are no vaccines and there is very little hope in sight.

Diana flees to the Galapagos Islands on a long-time planned trip that she was supposed to take with Finn, but as a resident at a NYC hospital he has no choice but to stay put.

The dream trip quickly turns upside down as her luggage gets lost, her hotel is shut down, and the island goes into quarantine.

And that’s just the beginning.

As Jodi Picoult does, she delicately and brilliantly takes us back to that time period and we watch these characters live through what was our reality…and then some.

The pacing felt slow at first but don’t be fooled, it picks up and you will be glad you kept reading. Feel free to DM me the moment you finish (as I did to @mrsboomreads) because it’s impossible to discuss on here without spoiling it for others!

I do want to stress that this storyline is centered around the initial height of the pandemic. If you or your loved ones had Covid, you lost someone to Covid or are still in any way are dealing with the aftermath, this may not be the book for you right now.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I read this book while suffering through COVID-19 myself and I will say, Jodi Picoult really captured the full reality of living through this pandemic from multiple perspectives. While I was lucky enough to only have mild symptoms, knowing people who really suffered with this virus gave this book a relatable and brutally authentic meaning. Wish You Were Here is a relevant and significant book portraying this time in our history.

I loved this book. It was well written and brought aspects of the seriousness of the pandemic and how it has impacted so many people.

I enjoyed the tie in about the alternate reality of the main character and fell in love with the life she led.

I went into this book with the mindset that as much as I love Jodi Piccoult books this one may not be for me until well after the Covid-19 pandemic. Well, let me say that I am so glad I took a chance on it and read it NOW! Piccoult accurately portrays the good and bad that surrounds us regarding Covid-19. This book peels back some of the human layers of grief, happiness, love, relationships, and illness and brings us full circle in a few of the character's lives during the pandemic. Namely the main character Diana.

A lot is going on in Diana's life. She had major plans for her career and family life before the pandemic. She was raised by her father as her mother didn't have a lot of time for her while growing up, which still haunts her. She is now living with her boyfriend Finn who is a resident at the local hospital in NYC. They are set to go to the Gallapgagos Islands when the pandemic hit and she has to go alone because Finn must work. He insists she go and have a good time. She is conflicted about this but decides to go.

Diana experiences things she would have never imagined while on Isabela Island. She meets a family who takes her in and the story goes from there. She then returns home and things get even more complicated. She is faced with huge life decisions after her recent experiences begin to shape who she is to become which is different than she thought priorly. No spoilers here but about halfway in there is a shift that took me by surprise! Whoa! I never expected it. Great read.

Thanks for NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC. I am so appreciative for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I liked the first part of this book but when the big "twist" came, I was turned off. I just felt it was ridiculous for the reader to accept that conclusion. I thought the writing was good, but so is anything by Picoult, and my library has purchased it already.

As a nurse working in the hospital in ny during covid this hits close to come. The ability to weave such real raw feelings into this book is heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time

This is my fourth Jodi Picoult novel and so far Small Great Things has been my absolute favorite, but unfortunately this book really didn’t do it for me. First off, I found the first half of the book to be very slow. While the Galapagos seemed very beautiful, there weren’t many climactic moments and nothing to really move the story along. Luckily I read some reviews and noticed that there was a big twist that happened about 60% into the book. I have to admit that if I hadn’t read about the twist, I probably would have DNF’d the book. After the plot twist, the book finally started moving along at a much better pace.

I think the second reason why I couldn’t get into the book is that it was about the Covid Pandemic. Since we are still living with this nightmare, it was hard to read about it and relive the beginning of the pandemic. I guess that I am just not ready for books that center around Covid in the storyline. Also, I found it so hard to believe that Diana would have travelled all the way to the Galapagos by herself and that Finn would even suggest it. Why would anyone travel to a country by themselves that they had never been to and did not speak the language. When Diana got off the ferry, she became aware that the island was closing for two weeks because of the virus and was given the opportunity to go back, but she stayed.

The best highlight of the book was the Author’s Note at the end, it was very heartfelt and honest. I almost wish the Author’s Note was at the beginning of the book, understanding the concept of the book and development of the the characters might have help prepare me for reading this book. The story concept was brilliant and if the first half of the book had moved along a bit faster or had more climactic moments, then I might have enjoyed it more. I still love Jodi Picoult’s books and cannot wait for her next development.

I historically have loved Jodi Picoult books, but then something changed a couple years ago. They just weren't hitting the same way. I think she is a wonderful storyteller and I love the pictures she paints in the form of her stories. This one just didn't sit right. Part of it was me, as I don't think I was ready for a book about the pandemic set in the city where I work and can remember those early days a bit too vividly. And part of it was just that I didn't feel in touch with the characters as much as I would've liked. Even after the story pivots, it just feels...forced. I don't think this is one I would recommend, although I can see what other folks have really enjoyed it. It just wasn't for me.

I think if I didn’t work in healthcare I wouldn’t have liked this one so much more. I was shocked by the many twists throughout and I did feel invested in all the stories. I really liked how in the end the things like sporadic emails were the boyfriend visiting her at bedside.

I think as a nurse dealing with Covid her cheating on her boyfriend knowing the hardships he was dealing with was just too much for me personally. It really bothered me since I know what he dealt with and felt she gave up on him and it hadn’t been very long.

A very sweet story to come out of Covid. Definitely played into real experiences of a very difficult time for so many.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC.