I have to admit when I first received the email inviting me to read this book, I wasn’t sure that I wanted to. I didn’t know that I wanted to read a book about Covid. Reading is my escape and I didn’t want to read something that we’re currently living.

But you guys! This is so much more than a book about Covid. It was so beautifully written and I’m just in awe of the amount of research that must have gone into it. Not only for the Covid aspect, but the art history, and the information on the Galapagos.

Sorry! I’ve gotten ahead of myself. This book is about Diana and Finn. Diana is an art specialist and Finn is a doctor. They have their future perfectly mapped out. Careers, marriage, kids. And up next, a dream trip to the Galapagos. Just before they’re to leave the virus hits NYC and Finn is forced to stay, but tells Diana to go on without him.

This story is so multi-layered. It’s about second chances, human resilience, and living life, though not necessarily the one you had planned. I love that this story has a touch of magic to it and a twist I didn’t see coming!

If you were on the fence about picking this one up, I encourage you to do so!

✨𝐑 𝐄 𝐕 𝐈 𝐄 𝐖✨

𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐖𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐨𝐝𝐢 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐭

Happy pub day 🙌🏼 I’ve always been a huge fan of Jodi Picoult so I was very interested to read her new novel that took place right at the beginning of the pandemic. I’ve seen very mixed reviews of this book so far, but I truly think every reader will have a different experience reading this book based on how the pandemic impacted you personally & how it continues to impact you today.

👍🏼: I really enjoyed the “escape” vibes as part of the book is set in the Galapagos. I enjoyed the overall tone of hope & self-discovery, balanced with loss and grief. I definitely appreciated the research that clearly went into writing this novel about the hospital/rehab setting and each profession as well.

👎🏼: There was a major twist mid-book that actually made me feel quite deflated & sad 😂 I’m not sure if that was the purpose, but it definitely was shocking! I also felt some anxiety being immersed back into the beginning of the pandemic with all the fear and unknowns.

Overall, I enjoyed this unique story but am not sure I would recommend to everyone. As I said, I truly think each reader will experience this book differently, but it’s definitely worth a shot!

Thanks to @netgalley @randomhouse for the e-ARC (out today!) 🙌🏼

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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There are portions of the book that really drag. It’s not a long book but it felt long. The emails about Covid were difficult to get through. It still feels too soon to revisit those early days of the virus for me.

What I really liked about the book, though, were the parts about the main character, Diana, and her relationship with her mother. Those sections felt the most real to me, the most touching. I also really liked the ideas about second chances and the discussions surrounding art.

If I gave half stars, this would probably be 3.5 stars. But since I don’t, I’ll give this 4.

The backdrop for this unusual book is the Covid pandemic. And the story spares no words regarding the suffering involved from having the virus, so that alone may be a game-changer for you. Plus, political thoughts are subtly tucked into this twisty story, and for me, that’s not okay. When I read fiction I want to leave politics WAY behind me.

To say this book fell short for me is putting it mildly.

It’s March 2020 in New York City and the story revolves around Diana O’Toole, an associate specialist with Sotheby’s, whose best friend is Rodney. But Covid is about to sink its teeth into her personal life, and her job is about to take an unexpected dive.

Diana’s boyfriend, Finn, is a surgeon and she is disappointed that due to this new virus outbreak he won’t be able to go with her on their trip to the Galápagos Islands. She is sure he plans to propose to her, but with her boyfriend busy at the hospital will she go on this trip without him?

My Concerns
This story felt a bit all over the place. And for those who have suffered through Covid or lost loved ones, this will hit close to home with vivid details.

When I finally got to the last page and closed the book I had to say,

-It wasn’t a memoir
-It wasn’t a get-away-from-reality book
-It felt depressing
-At times it felt like a researched textbook with a plethora of details
-It wasn’t a page-turner or a book I cared to finish, yet curiosity forced me to
-Was the point that Covid can tamper with relationships?
-Is it meant to be a subtle political statement? Nah, too vague.
-We should analyze life more deeply?

Who knows? But the twist in the story really didn’t warrant the ending, or how confusing the book was.

This book has some good reviews, but to me, it’s a mystery why?

Final Thoughts
I loved the character, Rodney. I like the book cover. It was unique.

I hate not to recommend a book. But even though the writing is good, I just can’t get behind this one.

My thanks to NetGalley for an ARC ebook to review. All thoughts are completely my own.

I have to admit, when I first saw the premise of this book I wasn't sold. Reading about a pandemic? After living through one? It seemed like the last thing I wanted to do. Thankfully, I decided to read it anyway and I'm so glad I did!

Diana O'Toole has the perfectly planned life—up until a new virus disrupts the schedule. When her boyfriend, a surgical resident, has to stay behind to help on the eve of their romantic getaway, she reluctantly travels to the Galápagos alone. Upon arrival, she finds herself stranded as the islands enter quarantine. Plans out the window, she adapts and slowly begins examining her choices, her life, and herself.

It started out a bit slow, but it sort of crept up on me. The first half of the book is beautiful and emotional and felt like a hug for my soul. The main character's thoughts and feelings really resonated with me. I loved every bit of the journey she was on, as well as the little snippets of the past in the form of everyday life. I think Picoult nailed some of the most difficult and contradictory feelings of the pandemic. I also really loved the various relationships and experiences on the island. The characters were all vibrant, even those who only appeared for a sentence or a page.

True to style, there was a twist. And I have to say, this one is what knocked it down a peg for me. I don't want to say much to avoid spoilers, but I was disappointed with the turn of things. That being said, I did love what eventually came out of it, so I can't be too frustrated. The ending was just as beautiful as the first half.

If you're even considering it, definitely give this one a go.

Thank you to Ballantine Books for granting my wish for an arc through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I am in awe of how good this book was. I will warn you, I didn’t realize how much I felt triggered by the descriptions of the early days of the pandemic. Luckily, Picoult did a great job in interspersing descriptions of NYC through the eyes of a doctor but not having it be the focus of the book.

The book focuses on Diana, an NYC art auction associate who is ready to land the promotion to her dream job and has a loving doctor and soon to be fiancé. They are planning to travel to the Galápagos Islands right when Covid hits. Her boyfriend must stay behind, but she goes to the isolated island by herself. When she arrives, everything is shut down. Things don’t go as planned. There she discovers something new about herself.

This was a beautiful story and I can’t recommend it enough!

I have only read a couple books by this author and while this book was not what I expected, it was a wonderful story!

I’ll start out by saying: yes, this is a very Covid/pandemic-heavy book. It was difficult to read at some points because I found myself missing pre-Covid times, when I felt safe enough to leave my house, send my kiddo to school, and go out to dinner with my friends. But the story sucked me in and I read it in basically one sitting (had to fit dinner time in there somewhere!) I didn’t see the twist coming, and my heart ached for the entirety of the rest of the book. Times are weird and with this pandemic came a change where people found out more about themselves than they ever knew they could. I thought Jodi really captured that with Diana, the good and the bad.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 stars

Diana O’Tool and her boyfriend Finn are preparing for a romantic getaway to the Galapagos Islands. Diana has been working hard claiming the ranks in the cutthroat art auction world. Finn is a surgical resident whose future is promising. The night before they are set to leave on their dream trip where Diana, Finn tells Diana to go without him. There go her dreams of a proposal on their getaway. Finn just can't leave, there is a virus out there and everyone is needed at the hospital. So, Diana goes, she doesn't turn back when she is told that the island is quarantined for two weeks. She can't stay at the hotel they book but finds a room with a woman and quickly makes friends. While there she begins to question her choices, her life, and her relationships.

This book is set during the beginning of the pandemic and shows what doctors were up against. The character Finn writes to Dianna and tells her about the struggles and how hospitals are doing the best they can with what they know and how the treatment protocol changed constantly.

When I came to a certain section of the book I was stunned. Put it in the I did not see that coming camp. This book will hit close to home for many. Writing about something that we are all still experiencing was courageous. Some may find it difficult to read this book while others will devour it.

Jodi Picoult is a reliable and prolific writer. One can count on her to deliver and add the personal touch. She doesn't shy away from tough subjects and did her research in writing this book. She captured the uncertainty, the disbelief, and the shock of the beginning of the pandemic.

This is a great book for book clubs as there is a lot to discuss in this book. Not sure what I think of the ending but overall found this to be enjoyable and a worthwhile read.

Thank you to Random House Publishing group - Ballantine and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I could not put this book down. The chapters were long but I just didn’t care I kept reading.
I crave a book with a WTF moment, the moment you did not see coming at all that makes you say WTF out loud. This book packed a big wtf for me. A Jodi Picoult staple.

This is a novel full of COVID, loss, and the survivor’s guilt. It def was depressing at times going back and reliving the beginning of the pandemic; those early days of not understanding what was going on, the isolation, the run on toilet paper, sanitizing your mail and visiting loved ones from outside a window. I think Jodi Picoult handled it very well. In her authors note, she says she asked those she interviewed, “how has this experience changed the way you think about the rest of your life.” In the novel we relive the pandemic through our main character, Diana and this question shapes the novel: how has her experience changed the way she thinks about the rest of her life. At first I didn’t like the ending, maybe because I just wanted more of the story. However after reading this question in the authors note I feel it was a fitting end to Diana’s story, her future and how she sees the rest of her life.

I don’t want to say much more because I want you to experience that WTF moment for yourself. I thought it was well written exciting and with that big jaw drop moment I give it 4.5 stars.

One good thing seems to be certain in the wake of every national or international crisis, whether manmade or in nature. Jodi Picoult will incorporate it into a gripping novel. The current pandemic sets the scene for Wish You Were Here. Following the pattern of other Picoult books, the crisis takes on the importance and feeling of an additional character in the book.

Protagonist Diana O’Toole has goals and a life plan that seems to be clicking along according to her schedule when the COVID epidemic appears. Almost engaged, Diana and Finn have a trip planned to the Galapagos just as COVID raises its ugly head in New York City. As a surgical resident, Finn has to stay and tend to the rising numbers of hospital patients but insists that she go on as planned since the trip money is nonrefundable. Diana’s life changes, because of the pandemic, ring true. She deals with a mother with dementia under a DNR order in a nursing home. She meets people she can’t speak with because she doesn’t know Spanish and has other difficulties in the Galapagos that include an inability to communicate with home because of no internet connections. Then there is the teenager cutter she meets who mirrors her own contentious mother/daughter relationship. Surprises and intriguing twists compel the reader through the darkness of the pandemic all the way to the unexpected conclusion.

In a letter from Jodi to her readers, published by Goodreads, she says, “I hope you’ll always remember to ask yourselves how this experience changed the way you think about the rest of your life.” I think it is probable that her hope will come true. If you are a longtime Picoult fan, you will be prepared for her to put a creative spin on this worldwide disaster. The author has out-Picoulted herself with this novel. Readers should be advised to have time, a good chair, and a blanket set aside since not much will be going on until the book is finished.

This one snuck up on me. I did not think I would like this book. I really enjoyed Picoult’s earlier works; however, her recent stuff just has not really clicked with me. Plus this book is set during Covid – it is just too soon to write/read about it since we are still in the thick of it. What I didn’t count on, was that this book would have that ole Jodi Picoult magic that carries you into the story and pretty soon you are halfway done with no idea how you got so far in such a short time. It is hard to say too much about the plot of the book without giving anything away. It is set during early pandemic in both New York City and the Galapagos Islands. It is a story about personal growth with the unusual backdrop of a pandemic. The hospital and Covid patient descriptions were chilling particularly as they were juxtaposed with the beauty and serenity of the deserted Galapagos Islands. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a chance to read and review this one!

Pros: I knew I was going to like this book as soon as I started reading because it contains two of my favorite things: a main character who is an art historian (and in this case works on a project for Sotheby's with a Yoko Ono-like character) and travel to a place I've been or want to go (i.e., the Galapagos Islands). I thought the author did a fantastic job accurately describing the Galapagos Islands, and it was obvious she has visited. I felt like I was there as I read, and I appreciate when an author creates such a strong sense of place.

What I thought was going to be a straightforward novel about a young woman who goes to another country to discover herself was not actually that predictable. (That's my fault for assuming--I know Picoult is a fantastic author, and I shouldn't have expected a predictable plot.). This book instead was a thoughtful examination of grief and resilience during the Covid-19 pandemic. I was shocked by one turn the plot took, and I cannot wait for friends to read this book so we can compare our thoughts.

Cons: This is not a con but more of a note to potential readers--there is A LOT of Covid talk in this book. For some, it might be too soon to read something that we are still living through.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this book!

I've shared this review on Goodreads, StoryGraph, and Amazon.

Jodi Picoult does it again. OMG this book was incredible. Even though we are still actively in the midst of the pandemic, Picoult so acutely captures those first few months and how scary all the unknowns were. This book turned out to be nothing like I expected in the best possible way.

Diana and her boyfriend Finn are on track. They have a great place in NYC, they have a plan, their careers are on the up and up, they are a rock short of an engagement, and they have a special trip to the Galapagos planned in March 2020 to celebrate her 30th birthday. Then the pandemic hits. Finn, a surgical resident, has to stay behind. He assures her she should still go - "by the time you get back this will all have washed over - 2 weeks max." So reluctantly, Diana goes. Immediately everything goes wrong - her luggage is lost, the service is spotty, wifi is nonexistent, and the hotel she was supposed to stay in has shut down.

Now, completely isolated without any of her belongings, very little Spanish, and 0 connection to the outside world, Diana is due for an unexpected re-examination of everything she thought she wanted in life. Meanwhile back in NYC, Finn is in the thick of COVID ICUs, surrounded by despair and death and desperately trying to find a way for them to be together again.

This book took some twists and turns I never expected, and I loved every minute of it! Jodi Picoult has this knack for capturing real life moments and showing the humanity between opposing POVs - there isn't always a clear enemy or right and wrong. It's something I have always LOVED about her books. And Wish You Were Here is no different. Absolutely 5/5 recommend. Thank you so much NetGalley and Random House / Ballantine books for the early copy. I will be buying this book when it comes out so I have a physical copy too :)

With 30 right around the corner, Diana O'Toole is pleased that she has accomplished almost everything she has set out to achieve both in her professional life, as an associate art specialist at Sotheby's and in her personal life with her boyfriend (soon to be Fiancé, she thinks) Finn Colson. Diana is positive that Finn, a surgical resident at the Presbyterian hospital is going to propose on their upcoming trip to Galapagos to celebrate her 30th birthday. When a medical emergency in the form of a virus keeps Finn from being able to fly to Galapagos with Diana, she starts to feel her perfectly planned life start to teeter into chaos. As she lands in Galapagos, Diana realizes that the medical emergency was bigger than she or even Finn could have predicted. As Galapagos goes into lockdown, Diana's dream vacation turns into a bit of a nightmare. She has no luggage and worse still, she cannot speak the language. Feeling the despair and loneliness creep in that inevitably follow lockdown in a foreign country, Diana finds herself reaching out to a local family for companionship and connection. Over the course of the pandemic, Diana is left with more time that she ever thought possible; time she uses to re-evaluate her life and every decision she has made that has led her to where she is now.
Wish You Were Here, while the newest release from author Jodi Picoult, just might be one of the author's best works. The story told in Picoult's lyrical style is multi-layered with complex, vulnerable and authentic characters that draw you into their world and help you experience the complicated emotions that stem from a global pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The story takes a compelling turn partway through that drew me deeper into the story. Diana grapples with some hard decisions, an unenviable task that Picoult handles with all of the frank honesty and clear insight that she is so well known and loved for. Wish You Were Here is an emotionally poignant novel centered around one individual's journey during a global pandemic; and while the tale is fictional, the emotions the character experiences over the course of the story are all too relatable and real to many of us. While I wouldn't categorize this as an easy read given the heavy subject matter, it is an important and thought provoking read that is relevant to the times. I highly recommend Wish You Were Here for readers looking for a deep but satisfying contemporary fiction story to add to their ever growing to be read stack.

Just finished a NetGalley ARC (Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!) at 3:27 A.M. of Jodi Picoult's soon to be released pandemic bonus book! Will write a coherent review after some much needed sleep! But WOW! What an excellent reason to lose sleep!

🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱

In the masterful hands of Jodi Picoult, "Wish You Were Here" (her fictional 4 months in the writing literary effort aimed at making some semblance of sense of the insanity called the COVID-19 PANDEMIC) comes as close to capturing the fear, pain, uncertainty, craziness, and real-life realities of the pure hell this virus unleashed globally! And in this humbled reader's opinion, Miss Picoult did it far better than any work of non-fiction could ever have provided!

From Picoult's choice of characters, to splitting the novel's setting between NYC and the far distant Galapagos Islands, she perfectly captures the terror, urgency, and daily exhaustion within the medical first responders efforts to fight this unknown virus in New York City. Juxtapose that with the equally frightening isolation of Charles Darwin's source of inspiration for his groundbreaking work revolving around explaining and documenting the intricacies of adaptation and evolutionary development and her literary choices come full circle! Pure genius!

I will be forever grateful to Jodi Picoult for taking pen to paper and creating this chronicle of both the hopeLESSness and the hopeFULLness that the Global Village collectively experienced and continues to attempt to sort out!

My thanks to Picoult, her publishers at , and NetGalley, for gifting me with this early draft of one gem of a novel. In return, I have provided my most sincere and heartfelt review in the hopes that many, many others will find the thought-provoking comfort held within its pages.

#wishyouwerehere
#jodipicoult
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#netgalley
#literygenius
#covidpandemicnovels
#healingthroughliterature

Very thought provoking and has left me thinking about it days after. I don't even know how to describe it. Just read it. First from this author for me but won't be the last. It was so good.

Jodi Picoult is the reason that I love reading. I was never a reader growing up, until my mom helped me pick out a Jodi Picoult book when I was in middle school. I then proceeded to read all of her books and haven’t stopped reading since! I always look forward to reading her new book each year.

WISH YOU WERE HERE was the first book I read that takes place during COVID. Diana O’Toole is an associate assistant at Sotheby’s living with her boyfriend in NYC who is a surgical resident. They have a dream vacation planned where Diane is sure Finn will propose… but then COVID cases start to skyrocket and Finn can’t leave the hospital in such a time of need. Finn insists Diana should go by herself and enjoy the vacation they had planned.

Diana’s time in the Galapagos was heartbreaking and full of hope all at the same time. I adored her relationship with the locals that she met and grew to love. There was even a shocking reveal that I definitely didn’t see coming!

Jodi Picoult, as usual, beautifully crafted characters and a storyline that that tugged at my heartstrings. I thought she did an amazing job creating a story that took place in the height of the pandemic — a story that made the characters, and myself, reflect on what really matters.

Even if you think you don't want to read about Covid, read this! Yes, it's about Covid but really it's about so much more. It's heartbreaking as you immerse yourself in the world of what it must have been like for a healthcare professional, but then there's all the thoughts and feelings of being stranded on an island like Diana. Most of us likely weren't physically stranded on an island, but sometimes that's what the early days of the pandemic felt like. The busy, crazy lives that we were leading came to a grinding halt and with that we began experiencing a whole new range of emotions and experiences.

This story is captivating, emotional, and will leave you hopeful for the future!

Jodi Picoult managed to wow me once again with Wish You Were Here, an extraordinary story of love, healing and resilience. Just as other novels have captured historical events, Wish You Were Here takes place during this current pandemic, and Picoult is one of the first to record it in a way that future readers will understand the frustrations, the fears and the isolation we all have experienced over the last 20 months. Diana O'Toole is on track professionally in the art world, and personally with her soon to be fiance, Finn when she finds herself stranded on the Galapagos island as the world shuts down due to the virus. Trapped without luggage, money or a place to stay since the hotels are closed, Diana is befriended by an island family with whom she builds a relationship and deep connection to during the weeks she is there. Picoult documents so much of what the medical heroes were up against through medical resident Finn's emails to Diana while she is on the island. The very things that shook us as a world, Finn conveys with his words. Will Diana's ideas of what is truly important be changed after her time on the island? Will Finn be changed after the war zone he lived through? Will we?
Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Random House for the advance copy in exchange for my review. #NetGalley #WishYouWereHere