I loved Wish You Were Here. Not only did the plot have a pretty dramatic twist, it was so relevant and relatable and interesting and completely heart-wrenching.

To start, I actually live on a tropical island right now and experienced Covid on it. Now, it’s not the remote island that any of the Galapagos islands are, but the lockdown and closure of most businesses and lack of supplies was definitely relatable. Even the curfew aspect. I actually bought a paddle board in order to be outside because the governor (and the base I live on) locked down parks and beaches for awhile and we could only use them if we were exercising. Paddleboarding was literally the only way to be stationary near the beach.. I could stop paddling and float or anchor out, but I could NOT just sit on the beach. But in a lot of ways, experiencing Covid on a tropical island was nice because the outdoors wasn’t really closed, you could hike, walk along the beach, and appreciate the beauty of the island without the tourists once the beach/park restrictions stopped being enforced. It may have seemed like the pandemic wasn’t reaching us, but it did in its own ways, yet it also made me appreciate what was in front of me a lot more.

My parents were actually visiting me in March of 2020 and we watched the mainland US freak out on social media about toilet paper..and we were not taking any of it seriously until the first couple of cases reached the island and concerns about flights being cancelled became a worry the day they were leaving. My parents barely made it back home before my island and the other island and cities they had to fly through completely shut down all flights. I felt like I could totally understand Diana still going on her trip because.. well.. my parents still went on theirs and had their flight back home been their flight out to see me or if they’d have had a few more days on their itinerary, they’d have been trapped on Guam for much longer than expected! It only seems crazy now.. but at the time we didn’t really know what would happen.

I didn’t really enjoy the main character at first, but I loved her journey and the way she grew as a character. I was heartbroken for her so many times.

The book does take a pretty dramatic turn, but I don’t want to give any spoilers. Just when I thought this book was going to go the route of The Book of Two Ways with senseless relationship drama, it didn’t.

I will add that the first half of the book may seem slow to some people. I tend to be the odd one out with Jodi Picoult books and I love when she goes off on tangents about a subject.. I didn’t like The Book of Two Ways much, but my favorite parts were the ins and outs of being a death doula and the delve into Egyptian history, two of the things most reviewers hated. I enjoyed Diana’s adventures in the Galapagos and loved the way her character learned to connect with other people and tried to cope without a real plan or a connection to anything familiar. Even though I’m not really trapped on an island, learning to go with the flow and embrace what you have is a huge lesson of island living and I think she needed to experience it to grow as a person.

It may have seemed like she had her head in a clouds a bit, but the reality of the pandemic is a lot different on a tropical island, especially since the government likely has more opportunity to shut the island down and halt tourism in a way that a larger land mass cannot. Whatever may have happened in the book, I felt that Picoult actually portrayed it in a realistic light.

I can’t really say much about the parts of the book I want to talk about the most because it’s all huge spoilers, but I was so impressed with the twist and the way all of the characters were so well fleshed out. I loved how it captured so many aspects of the pandemic while still remaining a story about being human and finding our way in a stressful time.

My only complaint was that I really didn’t like Finn and I thought he was super immature. I wished that he wasn’t the primary voice of healthcare workers during the pandemic because I thought he was stuck up. I’m glad that, in the end, other healthcare workers had a bit more of a voice in the story to even it out and kind of show that things were the way that Finn was describing and it also kind of showed us how various people cope with the stress of the pandemic.

Wish You Were Here is my second book by Jodi Picoult, this was a book that I was a little hesitant to read because I really didn't want to be reading anything about Covid, which is not a topic that I really dig BUT I'm glad I read it.

it was nothing of what I was expecting, I didn't feel any burden or heavy feeling reading about the situation where are still going true, it was more of a light-hearted situation between two people who were going through terrible situations during these times. how they felt, how they survive, the reality each character was living.

I like how we get to travel so far away from the crowds and see the beauty of the world even if we're going through some chaos.

for me, this book was an internal battle with the characters as they were trying to assimilate what was happening and how that was determined the situation that change their lives forever even the way they feel and acts towards others.

it is also very enlightening and interesting to read how some of the patients going through similar situations live other realities while they're sedated or in a coma, I've read some of these situations before but never to this extend and it was very pleasant to learn more, it also gave so much reality to the book and the story of the characters. I felt like I was reading a biography like Diana and Finn were real and we were now learning about their journey during this pandemic.

another thing is this book really makes you see things from a very different perspective, I'm glad I read this book because is not what I was expecting I really thought it was going to be very depressing reading about covid but it was very deep at times, it makes you think more about how we're dealing as humans with all these traumas and situations that we never knew or anticipated.

what I like about this story is that has a lot of hope, love, empathy, and understanding.

what I didn't like about the book was the ending, I was expecting something else entirely, I was not expecting what happened but I don't want to give anything away. so that is the only reason I'm giving 4 stars to wish you were here.

This book is great, I really enjoy it and definitely recommend it.

Very thankful to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this amazing book

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and Ballantine Books for the invitation to read an ARC of Wish You Were Here in exchange for my honest opinion.
It had been a while since I read a Jodi Picoult novel, and I could not put this one down once I started it, staying up way too late reading it and then finishing it the next day while traveling. I knew before starting that this book's plot centered around the COVID pandemic and chose to read this book with that in mind. I think it's important that readers are aware of this before starting, as some readers may not be ready for a pandemic plotline yet.

Diana and her soon-to-be-fiance, Finn, are about to take a bucket list trip to the Galapagos in mid-March 2020. Finn, an emergency room doctor in New York City, decides to stay home to help attempt to handle the pandemic's effects in NYC and suggests that Diana still go on their vacation on her own. Diana hesitantly arrives in the Galapagos, after her luggage is lost, as the island is shutting down and, instead of taking the ferry back to the mainland, decides to brave the two-week shutdown on her own in paradise. As you can imagine, things are not quite paradise when a global pandemic is raging! The book includes email messages detailing Finn's work back in NY in the emergency room of the hospital, but Diana does not have reliable internet or phone service to receive these.
This premise sucked me in immediately and even though I didn't like Diana's character, I wanted to know what would happen to her. Her job working at an art house was also really interesting to read about. I had trouble reading Finn's very detailed descriptions of his trauma-filled work in the emergency room. There is a twist that happens over halfway through the book that I absolutely did not see coming - which was another reason that I could not stop reading it!
If you're ready to read about the pandemic, I recommend this one. And if you're planning a trip to the Galapagos, I want to come with you!

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult is a highly recommended novel of two alternate realities set during the pandemic.

Diana O’Toole is an associate specialist at Sotheby’s and knows she and her boyfriend, Finn, a surgical resident, will soon be engaged. They have planned to leave NYC for a two week vacation to the Galápagos in March of 2020. Just before they are scheduled to leave, Finn breaks the news that he can't take the time off from the hospital due to the pandemic. He encourages Diana to go without him, so she does and is subsequently locked down on an island with little to no WiFi access. She ends up having a woman offer her a place to stay. Diana proceeds to make friends with the locals and even manages to see and experience the local sites. While there some of Finn's email messages get through and she reads about how overwhelming and trying his experiences are while working at the hospital in NYC during the increase of hospitalized Covid patients. Then something happens and Diana's perception and reality completely change.

There is no question that Picoult can write novels that will hold your attention from beginning to end and introduce some contemporary penitent on-topic subject in them. It's what she does best and she is known for her issue-driven plots. This time out it is Covid. Wish You Were Here is an emotionally complex, perceptive, and though provoking novel as it covers several issues. The first half of the novel is a stark contrast from the second half, and is also a very different narrative although some of the issues occur in both the first and second half. Characters are well developed, flawed individuals but sympathetic and vulnerable in both halves of the novel.

The twist in the middle of the novel changes everything and makes it a vastly different novel from the first half of the book. Variations of the big twist in the novel have been done numerous times before this in TV shows, books, and movies. Certainly it was a shocking surprise, but also an eye-rolling experience as it has always been in every other time it has used. The new variation on this well used plot device was setting the story during the pandemic and lock down. (It was too soon for this novel and quite frankly most of the novel read like pandemic porn to me, someone who was working throughout the whole lock down.)

Most fans will love it, and it would make for lively book club discussions, but for others this may not resonate as much as some of Picoult's other novels.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Ballantine Books.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

Let me just start with the obvious... Jodi Picoult is a wonderful weaver of stories. She is masterful and creating a world where I feel immersed and invested. This one did not stray from that given fact.

It's 2020 and the world is about to come to know what a pandemic truly means.

Diana has her life perfectly planned out. The right job, the right job track for advancement, the right man (Finn), the right timing for marriage and kids. And so far it has all worked out perfectly. She is about to land the ultimate contract to sell a world-renowned painting. She is about to leave on a dream vacation with the man she loves. Then the world hears about the cursed Covid-19.

Finn works at the hospital and can't leave, but tells her to enjoy the non-refundable trip. She feels guilty, but leaves. She arrives right when everything is shutting down. She can't leave the island, the shops are all closed down, even her hotel isn't available. In a moment of mercy, a woman offers her spare room to Diana. There's a troubled teen, a father who is doing his best, and a memorable island to explore. And it also gives her the opportunity to reflect on her life and decide what her priorities are.

Wow, this one was good! I love NYC, so it was fun to picture many of the places mentioned in the book. I also live in NY state, close to the city, so I know what it felt like when the pandemic began, so this really hit close to home. I could completely picture the Galapagos Islands- her imagery was amazing. And I googled the artist, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and her imagery was spot on there.

WARNINGS: She does get pretty intense with her Covid scenes, so if that makes you uncomfortable (or it's just too soon), then I'd wait. She also discusses suicide. There's definitely a more liberal leaning in this book, but it only came up a few times and I'm okay rolling my eyes and moving on in the book. There is one "intimate" scene. Definitely fits in the Adult Fiction category.

Overall an enjoyable read. I do agree with Ms. Picoult though- This has definitely been a year of wanting lighter reading!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I can not give a proper review because I had to DNF this book. I believe Ms. Picoult jumped the gun on writing about the coronavirus and didn't take into consideration how people would feel. I don't believe she thought about the people who have lost loved ones or the frontline workers who have seen death everyday for almost 2 years straight.

A really interesting story on life during the pandemic. Since, we are still living in the pandemic, this story still feels raw. Maybe if I were to read it 5 or 10 years from now, I might have enjoyed the story a bit better. But that is assuming life will be better in 5-10 years.
The story is very relatable. Every person on the planet has been affecfed by covid so it is interesting to hear the different stories.
Overall, I liked the story. I didn't see the twist coming and the direction the story took, which is fun when your mind changes gears and takes off in a new direction.
Thank you for providing an early copy.

Wow, I really enjoyed this book. I absolutely did not see the story leading to where it went. It was so well done and kept me engaged the entire time. I want to hear more of where Diana ends up!

This book was good, and I think if I had read it 10 years from now I would have liked it a lot more. It just wasn’t the escape from real life that I usually want from a book. Overall an interesting story and relatable characters, just not for me.

This is pretty much the last book I read by this author but set during the pandemic. It really seemed all over the place with where it was going and what it meant. In the end, there was a really unlikeable main character, a pretty setting, and a pandemic we can’t look back on with a new eye because we are still in it.

I was provided a free copy of this book by @netgalley in exchange for my honest review!
I have been a big fan of @jodipicoult for many years. So of course when I saw this one I knew I had to read it!
Diana has her life planned out perfectly, and it is right on schedule, until... the world shuts down. Now isolated, with plans thrown out the window, she has to reevaluate what she wants out of her life, and what is truly important.
In typical Picoult fashion there are many layers to this story with a few surprises thrown in. The story is beautifully told, granted how could it not be set in the Galapagos? 😍 (*Adds Galapagos to vacation list*)
If you are a fan of Picoult, definitely add this one to your list. If you haven't read any of hers... A) Where have you been? and B) I'd recommend reading The Song of the Humpback Whale, Small Great Things, and/or Leaving Time, while you wait for this one to come out!
This one is planned to be published at the end of this month (30 Nov), so add it to your TBR or Christmas wish list!

Warning: I will say that it may be too early for some to read a book about COVID-19. The story takes place during the first few months of the lockdown and remembering/reliving that time may cause some anxiety. For full disclosure I also started catching up on a TV show that also was covering that time period, so it was a double dose which may have contributed to the stress I was feeling. I think she does a good job of reminding the reader of the fear and craziness of that time, while also telling a deep and thoughtful story.

#NetGalley #WishYouWereHere

In typical Jodi Picoult fashion, Wish You Were Here blew me away with how beautifully and factually it addressed the sensitive topic of Covid. The beginning was a bit slow as we navigate Diana’s trip to the Galapagos while her boyfriend is back on on the frontlines of the pandemic. I wasn’t sure where the story was going and then the middle of the book hit. When you read it you’ll understand! I can’t say much else without giving the twist away but holy moly, I wasn’t expecting it to go where it went.

⚠️ TW: Covid is the main topic of this novel so if you are not in the right place to read a book that focuses on the pandemic, I suggest waiting to read this!

This was just a little off for me. Parts were good, but when the "big twist" came, it all fell apart. Still, like all books I have read by this author, it did introduce a new illness/issue that made me think.

Interesting, just not my favorite book by her.

This is a tough one to review. The plot deals heavily with the beginning days of Covid and the author paints a realistic yet dim picture. This was the first book I read that mentioned Covid as a plot point and framed the worldwide virus in the reality of the future. Do you recall what your life was like before COVID and your aspirations prior to the virus? The book tackles that question through the MC Diana.

" Diana O'Toole is perfectly on track. She will be married by thirty, done having kids by thirty-five, and move out to the New York City suburbs, all while climbing the professional ladder in the cutthroat art auction world. She's an associate specialist at Sotheby's now, but her boss has hinted at a promotion if she can close a deal with a high-profile client. She's not engaged just yet, but she knows her boyfriend, Finn, a surgical resident, is about to propose on their romantic getaway to the Gal�pagos--days before her thirtieth birthday. Right on time.

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. He has to stay behind. 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. Her luggage is lost, the Wi-Fi is nearly nonexistent, and the hotel they'd booked is shut down due to the pandemic. In fact, the whole island is now under quarantine, and she is stranded until the borders reopen. Completely isolated, she must venture beyond her comfort zone. Slowly, she carves out a connection with a local family when a teenager with a secret opens up to Diana, despite her father's suspicion of outsiders."

Thank you @netgalley for the e-arc!

Jodi Picoult has always been one of my favorite authors because she researches her topics so thoroughly and she takes on tough issues from all sides, usually leaving me wondering, “what would I do in that situation.”

In ​​𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐖𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞, she did not disappoint, although the topic may be one many are not ready for, because this was and is our reality.

Diana and Finn are a couple with a plan. Currently focused on their careers, Diana works at Sotheby’s and Finn is a surgical resident; they agree on what they want for their future together.

They plan to get out of NYC for a vacation to the Galapagos Islands, and Diana thinks Finn may even propose during the trip. But before they are set to leave the city, a virus takes hold. Finn is needed at the hospital, but he tells Diana to go on alone to the Galapagos.

Soon the world is in lockdown, and Diana and Finn are living two different lives.

Only Jodi Picoult can take us through the horrors of the pandemic and the beauty of the Galapagos Islands at the same time. It was difficult to hear what Finn had to go through and deal with in the trenches. But I loved Diana’s journey, the beauty she saw on the island, her own feelings of isolation and longing to connect, and ultimately her self-reflection.

The story does not end as I expected it to, but that again is what I love about Picoult’s writing. There are experiences written here that I know all of us have suffered through, that we can relate to, many of them painful. But this story also recognizes those who have helped and given a smile, which we all need to get through.

Thank you to @penguinrandomhouse for the gifted ebook and @prhaudio for the audiobook which I received as part of their influencer program.

I wish it were possible to give two different ratings, because this book deserves that from me. For the writing, the research, and the gut punching emotions, I would rate it five stars all the way! For the enjoyment level I have to knock off a star, and I will explain why in broad terms as I don't want to reveal spoilers. I've seen some readers who are hesitant to pick this one up due to the overall COVID theme. While I definitely would not recommend to someone who has lost a person close to them, I loved the vivid descriptions of the work the healthcare workers were doing, and the effect on people when the world "shut down". Brilliant use of emails from Finn (a doctor in the thick of things at a NYC hospital), one in particular where he stayed with a dying patient, had me sobbing! Finn's accounts of life on the front line were definitely my favorite part of the book, and are completely compelling! The descriptions of the Galapagos Islands were lovely and made you feel as though you were there. Also some interesting side education about the art world (Diana works for Southeby's selling paintings), and the side effects on the brain of someone on a ventilator. The two niggling facets that held back my five stars were the huge twist that comes about 60% in, and a decision Diana makes at the end of the novel. The first one is a trope I absolutely hate in books, but that one I'm giving a partial pass as it leads to educational moments that were super interesting to me. The second one was a complete no go, and it made me dislike the ending (if the ending leaves you unsatisfied, that's a definite lowering on the enjoyment scale). However, that's just me, and I really feel this book deserves all the praise. I'm planning a different ending in my mind, so it's all good!

Not for those who have a close COVID loss, this is a brilliantly written account of the beginnings of the pandemic. Overall, its a love letter to the front line hospital workers, who literally deserve all our praise! A definitely must read, make up your own ending if you must :)

4.5 Stars

Jodi Picoult is always ready and willing to tackle a subject picked from the news. This time it’s Covid. So, if it’s too soon for you to read a story that’s Covid related, you might want to hold off reading this book till later, but definitely read it.

After her past two books I picked up this book gingerly and with a little trepidation. I was so pleasantly surprised! This definitely reminded me of her previous books…great characters, wonderful storyline, a plot twist that was out-of-the-blue and thought provoking. Situations are so totally relatable and semi-realistic. As every book by this author, the research is top notch. I love when a book entertains and teaches, without being preachy. This book did that for me. I am not a fan of long chapters, but for some reason it worked here, and I was totally sucked me in from the beginning. While the beginning part seemed a little drawn out, I still enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. I found the ending satisfying. To say more, I would be afraid to give something away….and anyway, that’s what the book jacket is for!

Thanks to Ms. Picoult, Random House/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

I made it halfway through the book before I finally accepted that this story just wasn’t for me. It moved slow and I was completely uninterested in any of the characters.

I skimmed the rest of the book. The twist was interesting - sort of - but also made me feel like the time I spent reading the first half of the book was a waste of time.

This is my first Jodi Picoult novel. I have a couple others on my TBR and I’ll definitely still give those a try. Although this story wasn’t for me, I did enjoy her writing style.

Diana O’Toole and her boyfriend are planning a romantic vacation to the Galapagos. They both live in NYC where she works as an art associate for Sotheby’s and her boyfriend, Finn is a surgical resident.

When Covid hits NYC on the eve of their departure Finn is called back to the hospital, his leave has been cancelled. He assures Diana that she should still take the trip since all their deposits were non-refundable. Reluctantly, Diana agrees to take the trip without him.

But when Diana gets to the Galapagos, the pandemic is hitting the shores there as well. All borders, flights and ferry’s are cancelled. Her luggage is lost, the hotel where she is booked is shut down, and she has no cellular or Wi-Fi service. The entire island is in quarantined. Isolated, Diana carves out a relationship with a local family who agrees to give her shelter.

Diana become resilient and spends her time exploring the island and examining her relationships, her career and her choices.


REVIEW
WISH YOU WERE HERE is a highly recommended reading experience. I was initially hesitant about reading a story of COVID. After all, we are currently living through it. But the story is about so much more than Covid. It’s about love, loss, resilience, and finding joy and happiness in relationships, and the choices you must sometimes make that forever change your life. Netflix has recently acquired the rights to WISH YOU WERE HERE with plans to make it into a feature film.

The story is intriguing, captivating and well-researched. The writing is cleverly layered, emotionally strong and full of vivid descriptions. Author Jodi Picoult has woven a unique tale capturing the flora and fauna of the Galapagos Island as seen by Diana and contrasts it with the emotional intensity of Finn’s experience working night and day in a COVID ICU unit. Picoult has plenty of tricks up her sleeve in this unforgettable story. You don’t want to miss it!


Picoult has written 27 novels with each one skillfully written and tackling emotionally intense subject matter. Picoult states that this particular book was totally unplanned, but during the darkness of the pandemic and the quarantine Picoult was able to fashioned a book of lightness and exploration. Picoult’s most recent bestsellers include The Book of Two Ways and A Spark of Light.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


Publisher Random House Publishing / Ballantine
Published November 30, 2021
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

“I thought: Well, if I catch it I catch it. I know I took an oath. Do no harm and all that. But I don’t remember saying I’d kill myself to do it.” THIS! 👏🏻👏🏻

This whole book hits so close to home for me it’s eery. I work in a hospital, as does my husband. My sister was in Guayaquil when the outbreak started. We were planning a trip to visit her and the Galapagos. My parents were being evacuated from Ecuador as they were visiting her at the time of the outbreak. 🥴

“There are endless ways to leave your mark on the world—cutting, carving, art. Maybe all of them do require payment in the form of a piece of yourself—your flesh, your strength, your soul.”

Wow. Whelp, if you were not in the thick of covid and you want to know what the hospitals were like, read this book. It is scarily accurate. And now we’re talking modes on the vent? Oh Jodi, please feel free to consult me next time if you need an RT’s opinion or expertise 😁. I’d be happy to help!

I will say, in response to the authors note, yes Jodi, you did us justice. And thank you for that. For making it accurate. Scarily so. For documenting the lost year, which is basically what this book is. And for making it so readable that, even though I was working in the hospital and I couldn’t stay home and my life didn’t change much and I wasn’t isolated, I still wanted to keep reading. That is no easy feat. Bravo!

Thank you to Netgalley, Ballantine Books, Random House Publishing, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.