I'm not sure I can find the right words to write a proper review of this book. I LOVED it. First of all, a disclaimer: I'm a frontline healthcare provider living on a small, isolated island that completely shut down for several months during the peak of Covid. I found SO MUCH of this story relatable to my real life. Jodi Picoult did a fantastic job of capturing the fear, exhaustion, and sheer desperation of trying to provide care to Covid patients, not just in the beginning, but even today. I also greatly appreciated that she did such a great job of accurately describing the medical procedures, protocols, and general jargon correctly - this rarely happens in books / TV / movies and it is frustrating. She represented frontline providers with respect and her accuracy is important in conveying to the general public what was (and is) happening at different levels of care with these patients, especially in this time of rampant misinformation. I also appreciated her representation of life on a small island dependent on tourism - the love/hate relationship local residents have with tourists for various reasons. The way these places' ecosystems rebounded in the short time they were free from overtourism. This book is full of lessons we've had in front of us throughout Covid - many of us have faced this crisis and have been changed - by illness, by disillusionment, by trauma, by fear. This book examines what can happen when different people face the same crisis from different perspectives. Highly recommend to anyone whose life has been affected by this pandemic (so that means everyone!). Read this book.

I accepted this book for review without a second thought because I've been a long-time fan of Jodi Picoult and have read/loved many of her novels over the years. However, I have to admit that as we crept closer to its publication day and I reread the description, I procrastinated for months to pick this one up. I wasn't sure I was ready to read a book in which the premise is based on the recent pandemic.

Recently, as I've been catching up on favorite TV shows, I am finding myself stuck on their "covid seasons." I am finding that I am just not emotionally ready to relive it on-screen. For me, it's still very much a reality. I am still working from home and, while it feels like a lot has gone "back to normal," it's actually been in these past couple of months that my toddler has had not one or two, but four incidents of covid exposure, needing to get tested and/or stay home in quarantine.

I preface my review with this (and began writing it before actually starting the book) because I think that a lot about how we feel about a book has to do with our own personal circumstances and mindset. It's all about how we personally relate to the characters and our various mental and emotional dispositions play a big role in our experience with the story.

The novel revolves around main character Diana who finds herself stranded on an island off of the Galápagos while her boyfriend stays behind (a healthcare worker during the pandemic). Diana had her entire future mapped out and had expected to get engaged on the once-in-a-lifetime vacation, but as she learns to adapt to life on an isolated island, she wonders what it is she really wants out of her life.

Once I actually got into Diana's story, I was completely sucked into both her life and the multiple layers woven into the story. I suspect many of us can relate to planning (and maybe over-planning) our futures, setting our goals, but then feeling unsatisfied and at a loss once those goals are met. Living through this global pandemic, I think a lot of people (myself included) were forced to pause and take inventory. It allowed for a fresh perspective because we often get too busy going through the motions that we forget to consider if we're even happy with where we are or where we're going.

After nearly two years of working from home and watching the Covid numbers rise and fall, it sometimes feel like everything is going back to "normal." This was the perfect book at the perfect time to remind me to stop. We don't have to go back to "normal." We can redefine what normal looks like and live more purposefully.

There were a couple of twists that I won't get into, so as not to reveal any spoilers, but it left me speechless and completely surprised at a couple of points throughout the story - and especially the end! Overall, I related to Diana so thoroughly and remember exactly how eerie the city was in those first few months of lockdown that it was an altogether surreal experience reading this novel. While I was nervous to pick this one up, it actually felt a bit cathartic to relive the pandemic and reflect on everything that happened through Diana's eyes.

This was a tough read for me. I'm a nurse practitioner in a pulmonary clinic and COVID19 pandemic has been absolutely horrible. I requested this ARC because I love Jodi Picoult , I didn't realize what the content was. It took me a very long time to read because I just could not get used to the fact that we have fiction stories about this horrible thing that we are still living! I will say, I got through it and it is excellently written. Jodi Picoult is successful for a reason, but this book is HEAVY! Overall I enjoyed it.

Wow. Just wow. I was absolutely blown away by this book. There’s a hesitation when you hear about books you are warned mention Covid. It’s too soon. We’re not out of the woods yet. Why would we want to read about something so difficult while it’s still ongoing? The way this book started…I was so enthralled. I loved Diana’s reflection of time at her job, the history of the art. The strained relationship with her mother. I loved all that juxtaposed with her separation from everything, trapped on an island and forced to adapt. At first, I was so furious that she woke up with Covid and it all appeared unreal. But the journey that Diana went through to try to make sense of her multiple realities and to continue to grow and adapt. I learned so much. I felt so much. I highlighted so much. I cried so much. I will be thinking about this book for a long time and I will be recommending it as well.

Oh man, this book. It has me feeling so many feelings. It takes you back to the early days of the pandemic, when we didn’t know much about COVID- how to treat it, how it spread, what the symptoms might look like, and even what we didn’t know. JP does an amazing job of capturing that feeling of powerlessness.

The story takes place in New York and the Galapagos Islands - weird, right? But the main character has a trip to the Galapagos booked for March 2020 and decides to go, despite the uncertainty and the travel restrictions and the general state of the world. She can barely communicate with the outside world and is forced to become part of the islands’ small but self-sustaining ecosystem. JP writes about her time in the Galapagos so vividly that I felt I was there and am now desperate to visit!

The story takes a massive turn about halfway through. Without spoiling it, I can’t really share much about the plot, but I can share my reaction to it. At first, I felt like I’d been “bait and switched.” Reading on, I kind of got over that and started to appreciate the point JP was making with the plot twist. The characters’ responses to what happens felt authentic, and although I wished it ended differently for them, the ending did feel “right” for them (does that sentiment even make sense with how vague I’m being??).

If you can stomach reading a COVID centric story right now, I encourage you to pick this up. JP is known for her realistic portrayal of medical plot lines and for exposing both sides of ethical quandaries in the medical field, and WYWH is no exception.

Thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

Believe me when I tell you that I never wanted to read a book about Covid. We have heard and lived Covid for almost two years. Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult was a pleasant surprise. I truly thought the book would be different than it was.

I enjoyed the part of the book where Diana goes to The Galopagose on her own because her boyfriend who is a doctor has to stay behind to fight the virus. She becomes stranded on the island when it and the world closes down due to Covid. She stays so long that she is no longer a tourist and is seen as a resident. Who wouldn't want to be stranded on such a beautiful place as Isabela Island?

The interesting part of the book is some of the research this author has done about the after effects of Covid especially those that have been put on ventilators and survived. I love the medical facts I learn along the way in my reading journey.

I know most of us want to shy away from a novel about Covid. I highly recommend reading this book. It takes us away to a dream vacation and provides some pretty interesting information. I even appreciated the author's notes at the end of the book. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book. I think you'll love it and at least appreciate it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from #RandomHousePublishing-Ballentine, #Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wish You Were Here
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Diana is on track. She will be married by thirty, done having kids by thirty-five & move out to the NYC suburbs, all while climbing the professional ladder in the cutthroat art auction world. She knows her boyfriend, Finn, a surgical resident, is about to propose on their romantic getaway to the Galápagos—days before her 30th birthday.

But then a virus that felt worlds away has appeared in the city, and on the eve of their departure, Finn breaks the news: It’s all hands on deck at the hospital. You should still go, he assures her, since it would be a shame for all of their nonrefundable trip to go to waste. And so, reluctantly, she goes.

Almost immediately, Diana’s dream vacation goes awry. The whole island is now under quarantine, and she is stranded until the borders reopen. Completely isolated, she must venture beyond her comfort zone. Diana finds herself examining her relationships, her choices, and herself—and wondering if when she goes home, she too will have evolved into someone completely different.

*thank you @randomhouse & @netgalley for the #gifted copy*

I’m absolutely and completely still shook from finishing this Sunday night. I thought it would be really weird reading out the pandemic, but not so much anymore. It sadly seemed normal. I loved the truth behind the pandemic that she wrote about. Years from now, this will be historical fiction.

Jodi Picoult strikes again in her newest novel, reaching for the readers heart, and crushing it in every best way. This book was beautiful and heartbreaking. I loved Diana’s character, her growth and I loved how she made the best out of a bad situation on the island. I doubt we’ll get a sequel, but I sincerely need one because that last page made me scream.

This is one of my absolute favorite Jodi Picoult books and I already can’t wait to read it again. It comes out today so if you don’t have a copy, go get one!

#WishYouWereHere #JodiPicoult #RandomHouse #RandomHousePublishing #NetGalley

“Life happens when you least expect it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a blueprint in your back pocket.”

Diana O’Toole knows her boyfriend is going to propose during their getaway to the Galapagos …except COVID hits NY hard and Finn, a surgical resident, is stuck working at the hospital and he tells her to go anyways.

I’ve seen so many 5-star raving reviews for this one and I wish I could have loved it the same😅.

This is a story about personal growth but it is heavily centered around COVID. COVID novels don’t bother me and I actually ended up loving this one up until the halfway point, where the story drastically changes. After the change, I couldn’t get back into the story. This was my first Jodi Picoult novel & it won’t be my last! The writing was great and you can tell the subject matter was well researched!

I was extremely leery of reading this once I realized it started in March 2020 but I could not put it down and ended up loving it

Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I want to preface this review by saying that this book touches on some difficult topics, including the Covid-19 pandemic. Please read the content warnings and make sure you are in the right head space when reading it.

Now onto the review. I was hesitant at first because I read The Book of Two Ways by Picoult last year and it didn’t really hit the mark for me. Thankfully, this one did on many levels.

I wasn’t sure how I would feel reading about the pandemic. Although I haven’t lost anyone close to me, I know many who have. Picoult does an incredible job of writing this novel with care and consideration of the difficult subject matter.

I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that I was very surprised by this book. I found myself wanting to keep reading to find out what happened next, which is always a good sign for a book. I did feel it dragged a bit toward the end, but I enjoyed how the book came to a close.

Surprisingly, I didn’t cry reading this book UNTIL…the author’s note at the end. That got me big time!

If you’re a fan of Picoult, I’d say this is a definite must read. If you haven’t read her work, I’d recommend it with the caveat of content warnings I mentioned earlier.

I actually did not know this book was about Covid going into it and, man, I'm not sure I was ready for it. That being said, the book was well written and researched. Without giving anything away, I found the second half much more interesting than the first half.

Many thanks to @randomhouse, @penguinrandomhouse, @jodipicoult, and @netgalley for the early gifted copy of Wish You Were Here. It is out today, November 30! ⁣⁣
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I quite literally squealed when this ARC was sent to me. A Jodi Picoult book?! I’ve spent years reading her books, so to have the opportunity to read and review an early copy was a dream come true. ⁣⁣
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I’ve heard chatter on here that people don’t want to read fiction books about Covid. While I agree to an extent—I use reading as an escape from the real world, which, currently, is largely focused on Covid. However, if anyone can write a fiction book based on Covid, it’s Jodi Picoult. ⁣⁣
This book is filled with memorable characters and a well-paced storyline, and I think it was done so well. I think it’s actually one of my favorite books by Jodi. I absolutely loved the twist in the story, which completely took me by surprise!

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult was a fictional account of one woman's emotional journey through being stricken by COVID and hospitalized. Half of the book was the retelling of hallucinations she experienced while being unconscious. It is also about how that journey changed her life. It was an engaging story and impactful. In many ways it did more to educate about COVID than did all the news reports. Picoult is nothing if not a storyteller and this is a story she tells masterfully. It is only a shame that an author's political views enter into their writing, although hers were mild and few.

Eva was an arts acquisitions assistant at Sotheby's auction house sent to firm up details of the sale of a painting by Toulouse-Lautrec, being auctioned by a woman whose entire story was reminiscent of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. She and hr boyfriend, Finn, were about to take their dream vacation to the Galapagos Islands and this was her last chore before departing in the morning. From this point there are tow very different stories: the "reality" of an ambulance ride, tens days of unconsciousness, and weeks of rehab; and being stranded on the island of Isabela, one of the Galapagos Islands, and becoming entrenched in her life there with Abuela, Beatrix, and Gabriel. When she awoke in New York City her reality had changed and continued to change. All she wanted was to get back to Isabela. She researched, talked to shrinks and friends, met her mother (dementia-ridden), and searched for a new life. It was masterfully written, and breath-taking in its complexity.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Wish You Were Here by Ballantine Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #ballantinebooks #jodipicoult #wishyouwerehere

It is a story that will grip you, make you think, and take you on a journey you thought you knew so much about. Diana and Finn were planning on going away on vacation, and the night before they were to leave, he told Diana that he wasn't going to be able to go because of the virus, it was all hands on deck. He said she should go to the island and with so few people there, she would be safer. So she does, and the story tells about her going and all the mishaps, but then things change, and I questioned everything I just read, and wondered what just happened.
I am not going to say anything more because, when you read this book, the shock of what the author has done in priceless.
I received an ARC from Ballantine Books through NetGalley.

This was such a powerful read. Diana and Finn are successful New Yorkers with their life planned out to a T. They saved for years to take a dream vacation when COVID hits, Finn is needed at the hospital and he urges Diana to go without him. She lands in the Galapagos with no luggage to find the island shut down. The imagery and detail in the Galapagos made me feel like I was there. Diana finds solace with a local family who shelter her and she struggles with the dilemma of enjoying herself while the world is falling apart..

The twist in part 2 blew my mind. I won't give away any more details but I will say that this book contains heavy COVID details and if I had lost a loved one I may not have been able to read this. That being said, this is an important depiction of the pandemic, life of a frontline worker and how when faced with such tragedy one examines what is important in life.

Jodi Picoult has written many books, but this is only the second of her novels that I have picked up. Wish You Were Here, her latest novel, is about how the COVID Pandamic has affected everyone. Her story centers around a couple, Diana and her boyfriend, Finn as they are about to leave on a dream vacation to the Galápagos Islands. But, Finn is a doctor and he is told he needs to stay behind to deal with a new illness, CVOID-19. Diana goes without him. Neither of them realize that this will change their relationship forever. As Finn battles to save patients in the hospital, Diana is stuck in paradise. One would think that Diana got the better deal. However, would you really want to be far away while your loved ones could be getting sick and dying?

This was a really entertaining book that addresses the pandemic, head-on. With wonderful characters and a huge plot twist, I could not stop reading this book.

What I Liked:

Addressing COVID Pandemic:

This is the first novel that really utilizes the COVID pandemic as a major part of the plot. And, even though this began less than two years ago, it's a good reminder of how wild things were at the beginning. Suddenly thousands of people in New York and Boston come down with COVID-19, but doctors don't know how to treat it. Hospitals are overrun, people are scrambling to find PPE, and everything is shut down.

In the novel, Diana's boyfriend, Finn, is a surgeon in New York, and needs to spend all his time at the hospital. Diana, not realizing how this will affect the entire planet, goes on their dream vacation to the Galápagos Islands without Finn. She is soon stranded on the Island, with no way to get a hold of Finn, and no way to get back to New York.

But, aside from all the inconveniences of the pandemic, the book really focuses on what it was like in the hospital for Doctors, Nurses, and Patients. One of the characters in the story gets COVID and following their journey, from the brink of death to the recovery, is a stark reminder in just how terrible this illness it.

Characters:

After dealing with a childhood where her mother was unreliable, Diana wants to have a safe, predictable future. So she passes on opportunities that are creative but not steady. And although she loves her doctor boyfriend, he really only offer predictability, not excitement. With her experiences during lockdown in the Galápagos Islands, Diana starts to rethink her life.

She also must come to terms with her relationship with her often absent mother, a world famous war photographer. Now that her mother has dementia, Diana tries to look past her childhood hurt, and see her mom as an adult, who had to make difficult choices.

I really liked that Diana used her experiences during the pandemic to take stock of her life.

Finn, Diana's boyfriend, is a doctor on the front lines of the pandemic. The author does not make Finn out to be some kind of hero, but rather a man experiencing trauma. No one goes into a career in medicine with the thought that they will treat hundreds of patients who won't make it. We see Finn's frustration, exhaustion, and (not always positive) coping skills. While his actions are understandable, he is also selfish in believing he's the only one having a tough time.

Plot Twist:

I will not give the plot twist away. But I will say there is something that happens in the novel that was completely unexpected, and changes the narrative of the book completely. Parts of the event were a little hard to buy into. But, it certainly made me gasp!

Themes:

This book is really about how the Pandemic has forced each of us to assess what their priorities should be. Are we willing to work at a job that doesn't fulfill us? Are we willing to settle for predictable (and safe) relationships, or do we want to take more risks? But most of all, this book make the reader think about keeping connections with our loved ones. We just don't know what tomorrow will bring.

When I think of Jodi Picoult books, Nineteen Minutes is the book that was most memorable to me. As a middle school teacher that book was just too real. Picoult writes books that are very topical and she gets to the truth of the matter. Wish You Were Here, which deals with the current pandemic will be right there with Nineteen Minutes as a book I will remember years later.

I wasn't sure I was ready to read a book about our current situation yet, but I found that I had already forgotten some of the things from our early days of 2020. Picoult did her research and has created an accurate depiction of what those days were like.

Diana O'Toole has a plan. Her career, marriage, family are all planned. She has a fabulous job at Sotheby's, her boyfriend, Finn, is a surgical assistant, and they are about to head to the Galapagos where she is sure he will ask her to marry him. But when the virus hits and Finn is needed at the hospital - Diana heads off on the trip alone. The world has changed - and Diana is quarantined in the Galapagos where the hotel is closed and she is on her own. Left to her own resources - she begins to rethink her life.

This book just kept me reading. It just may be my new favorite Picoult book.

“Wish You Were Here” is a good read by Jodi Picoult, which I enjoyed more than her 2020 release. This novel touches on COVID-19 and the early days in a way that was thoughtful and which didn’t overdo the topic with it being so recent. There were poignant moments and I found it to be a relatable, solid book where I was not sure how it was going to end-which I appreciate in books. 4 stars ⭐️ for this one. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy for review.

Happy Pub Day to Wish You Were Here

I’ll keep this one simple since it’s either a book you’re willing to read or one you’re not ready for.

-This book is about Covid and it will one day in the future be considered historical fiction, in my opinion. It’s heavy and realistic since Jodi has spared us no detail of the truth of what 2020 was.
-The characters were hard to like due to their selfish traits.
- Lots of reference to art. Jodi is known for her research but for me this hasn’t worked in her last few books.
-The “plot twist” didn’t work for me. I honestly questioned why I kept reading.

However the author’s note makes up for some of what I didn’t enjoy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

As a long-time fan of Jodi Picoult (I’ve even met her in person) I wasn’t sure I would enjoy a novel set during the pandemic. It is a topic I don’t want to hear about anymore and try to avoid the topic if at all possible. I wasn’t even sure I would like her newest book because a few of her’s have been a disappointment for me. But, don’t let this pandemic story turn you away. This grabbed my attention from the very beginning and pulled me all the way through with a few tears as well as some moments of reflection.

This is what Jodi Picoult said about writing this book:
"When the pandemic first started, I couldn’t concentrate on anything else—I
couldn’t write. I couldn’t even read. I was quarantined at home, paralyzed
with fear at what COVID would do to my asthmatic lungs. When I was
finally able to start working again, all I wondered was: How are we going
to chronicle this pandemic? How do we tell the tale of how the world shut
down, and why, and what we learned?"

Diana O’Toole is about to land her largest art sale in her time at Sotheby’s. Her boyfriend, Finn, is a surgical resident in NYC and has mentioned this weird virus that they are starting to see at the hospital. All Diana can think about is closing the sale of the world-famous painting and then jumping on a plane with Finn for their romantic vacation (she is expecting a proposal) to the Galapagos Islands. The night before they are to leave, Finn reveals he can’t possibly go on the trip. Every available person is needed at the hospital as cases of the virus are rising rapidly. Diana can’t believe what he is saying. This virus can’t be that bad. He tells her to go anyway so they don’t waste their non-refundable trip and by the time she comes back, this will all be over.

As soon as Diana lands on the island she wonders if she made a huge mistake. The island has shut down, her luggage is lost, and she is stranded alone until the borders reopen. As she ventures out around the island and learns to be by herself, a new Diana emerges. A chance meeting with a teenage girl on the island moves her to reach out and get to know the girl and why she saw her cutting her arms.

As you can imagine, this novel is full of huge emotions. While Diana is on the island, WIFI is spotty and her few emails from Finn detail the exhaustion and devastation the virus is causing in the hospital. In Diana’s tropical bubble, she can’t imagine the horror and also begins to question her relationship with Finn. When the two-week window of quarantine has passed without any sign of it being lifted, Diana wonders if she will ever make it home again and if she does, will Finn be the same?

"But if you have to remember to miss the love of your life…does that mean he’s not the love of your life?"
Jodi Picoult, WISH YOU WERE HERE

This compulsively readable fiction is similar to recent books by Laurie Frankel or Taylor Jenkins Reed. A shocking twist at the center of the novel, which is trademark Picoult, will send you reeling and turning back the pages for clues. There are themes of betrayal, family dynamics, forgiveness, and renewal. Picoult immerses you in the beauty and peacefulness of the Galapagos. Her use of metaphors, while Finn is drowning at the hospital and for Diana’s experiences on the island, is so completely spot on that I highlighted passages in nearly every chapter.

"There are two ways of looking at walls. Either they are built to keep people you fear out or they are built to keep people you love in. Either way, you create a divide."
Jodi Picoult, WISH YOU WERE HERE

In the book, Picoult references a COVID story in the Cedar Rapids Gazette which was surprising as that is near where I live. I tried to find the news story she was referencing to see if it was true, but was not able to find any links to similar stories so I’m not sure if that part of the story is fictional or not. She also writes that Diana’s mom in the story grew up in McGregor, Iowa. I would love to know why she chose this very small town in Iowa near where I grew up along the Mississippi Rivier and what its significance was. It isn’t often there are Iowa references in stories, especially one set in NYC and the Galapagos Islands. But, fellow Iowans will appreciate the connection.

"Grief, it turns out, is a lot like a one-sided video conversation on an iPad. It’s the call with no response, the echo of affection, the shadow cast by love. But just because you can’t see it anymore doesn’t make it any less real."
Jodi Picoult, WISH YOU WERE HERE

Picoult’s character, Diana, has planned out her whole life and everything was falling into place when COVID hit. I am sure there are a lot of readers that will be able to relate to the incredulous feelings, the frustration, the fear, and unfortunately, the grief that hit many of us during these long pandemic months. Even though you may feel like a story set during a pandemic isn’t for you, I urge you to give this one a try. Picoult takes great care to not bury the reader in the hot-button issues or overload us with details. There is just enough to remind us that we are, much like Diana and Finn, resilient and yet forever changed by the pandemic.

“You can’t plan your life, Finn,” I say quietly. “Because then you have a plan. Not a life.”
Jodi Picoult, WISH YOU WERE HERE

This would make an excellent choice for book clubs and Picoult has created a comprehensive book club kit including discussion questions, recipes from the story, a music playlist, and photos from her own research trip to the Galapagos Islands.