This was a hard book for me. On the ine hand, it was current and interesting and the writing was beautiful. On the other hand, it is quite different from the manority of Jodi's previous works.

The main premise of this book is that Diana is set to go to the Galapagos with her boyfriend Finn who she is sure is going to propose. All their plans are ruined when Covid hits and Finn is needed at the hospital. Diana goes alone on the vacation and ends up stranded on the island where she meets Gabriel, a former tour guide and his family. Halfway through the book there is a twist and I wasn't expecting it.

Things I likes about this book:
Part on of the book
The writing style
The setting of the Galapagos
The relationship between Diana and the locals she meets
The realism of how reactions to Covid were the US and other countries

Things I didn't like:
Most of part two
The ending
The digs at conservatives throughout the book

The reasoning for not liking part two is simply because I didn't like the twist. It was just not for my taste, but it was also one I definitely did not see coming.

“Here I am bitching about wearing a paper space suit and making a cut, and she was providing real, true patient care. And I thought: She’s the fucking hero. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. It feels good, though, to know you’re listening."

I’ve only read one Jodi Picoult novel and that was 6 years ago. I remember first shedding a tear for “My Sister’s Keeper” until the plot twist that left me drowning in my own tears (seemed exaggerated but it was true – have you read that book? If yes, you’ll know what I mean).

That book made me SOB and reminiscing that moment years later still makes my heart ache for the characters we lost there – the heroes that at first I thought were the “villains.” Funny how (in an ironic way) things turned out in the end. I still get teary-eyed whenever those scenes cross my mind.

Now, she had published a new book. I thought my “Jodi Picoult made me cry” phase was over. But this book – this line, an ode to our modern day heroes in white coats (and today mostly in PPEs), she did it again! I’m only at 16% of the story but I’m already crying.

Remember when this COVID-19 pandemic was just some 10 cases in NYC? And remember when it flipped the world in a single night – changing our lives for the still unforeseeable future?

How about those we lost in the past 2 years? Remember the silent battles we fought in every aspect of our lives that (just like the virus) no one seems to notice but we know they exist?

Can you still recall every.single.thing. we’ve experienced and every.single.day. we fought to survive? Because I do.

– and these are only some of the reasons why I’m crying right now.

For everyone who's still here and for those we can only say “WISH YOU WERE HERE,” this book is for us.

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult is a fascinating novel set in the worldwide pandemic. Get rid of you expectations because this novel is like nothing you would expect. But that is what I love most about this author’s books. This novel particularly endeared itself to me because one setting is the Galápagos Islands. What do you do when the world shuts down? What do you do if you are stuck in a place far from home? How do you ever go back? So many questions that a lot of readers will resonate with from the pandemic. It is a great read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

3 Stars

I've been a longtime fan and lover of this author's work. This one sadly, kind of missed the mark for me. If you've ever seen the film Sliding Doors with Gwenyth Paltrow, it was similar to that concept in the whole idea of, what would happen if you made a few decisions differently.

That being said, I found the first half of this book very slow. Diana is alone in the Galápagos islands, her boyfriend is thousands of miles away fighting to save people from COVID in the emergency room, when the island is put on lockdown. With no way to get home, Diana wanders around being a bit of an ignorant tourist, meeting the locals, and trying to find a way to feed herself.

She begins to become invested in the locals. This goes on for a while... like, over half of the book. This path leads her on a long journey of self discovery.

The one thing that I really did like about the book is a spoiler, so I can't go into it.

Overall, I believe this is a book for a patient reader , something that I am really not.

Jodi's back! I enjoyed this book much more than The Book of Two Ways. While incredibly researched and written, it was hard to get through all the scientific and archeological details. I loved that Wish You Were Here paralleled the true-life events of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. I enjoyed reading the juxtaposition between the busy New York hospital setting and the colorful yet peaceful setting in the Galapagos. Jodi returns to her easy-to-read writing style and the ending of her story has her classic, twisted ending. Jodi Picoult has been one of my favorite authors for years and this novel did not disappoint. I was honored to receive an ARC of the book from #NetGalley and #PenguinRandomHouse.

#bookgirlclub

Wish You Were Here is my favorite book of 2022. I have recommended this one to so many friends as "you need to stop what you are doing and read this now" just because I needed someone to discuss it with. Such an incredibly great book! Read it now!

It has been several years since I picked up a Jodi Picoult novel and I forgot how amazing and heartbreaking her work can be. This book is no exception to that rule. I have been hesitant to read books about the Covid Pandemic due to the fact that we are still in the middle of it. However after reading the blurb for this book I was intrigued enough to give it a try. I am so glad I did.
Picoult was able to perfectly capture that liminal space we are all living in during this time. She both is able to express the pure terror that was felt in spaces like New York, where the disease ran rampt and we had no way to stop it and the pure isolation and shift that the shutdown caused. She does an amazing job balancing both of these things in tandem with one another, much like we all had to during that time. I won't spoil anything but the twist made my jaw drop. I literally stared at a wall for 5 minutes like saying "What?!?". It was something I never saw coming but was also brillant.
The last thing I will mention is I really liked that she acknowledged that for so many of us Covid has fundamentally changed who we are and what we want out of life. That it is okay to not want the same things that you wanted 2 years ago and that is okay. Overall, I was extremely pressed and I highly recommend that people read it. Please be aware that this is a heavy book and if Covid, death, self-harm, or Alzheimer trigger you you may want to pass or read cautiously.

This book did not feel like a typical Picoult book to me, but I really liked it. Diana and Finn are heading to a tropical vacation when COVID hits. Finn is a resident so he needs to stay in New York City to work at the hospital. He tells Diana to go, but then the island shuts down, essentially stranding her there. This book talks about figuring out the right paths for yourself--dealing with life choices, career, romance and figuring out who you really are. I highly recommend it.

I can’t NOT read A Jodi Picoult book. Im so happy this was my first “COVID inspired” book. Beautifully written, the story was so fraught with emotion that I had a lump in my … throat? the whole way through. I was waiting for the twist and it did not disappoint! The writing was tight, smooth, and I could not find a single part I thought was superfluous or unnecessary. It flew up the Picoult charts- my new second favorite Picoult book (after Plain Truth)!

Diana O’Toole’s life is going exactly as planned - her career in the art auction world in NYC, her resident boyfriend Finn, and their upcoming trip to Galápagos where she just knows he will propose. But days before they plan to leave, the Covid outbreak in NYC prevents Finn from leaving. Diana goes on their trip solo, and her life changes forever.
…
Full transparency, I went into this story blind and had no idea it was about Covid-19. Reading this novel took me right back to March 2020, and going back was really difficult. I had constant knot in my throat because of how familiar everything felt. While this novel dealt with difficult and an all too relevant topic, I absolutely loved it. I was sucked into Diana’a world and her mental struggle of being trapped in paradise so far away from home when everything is falling apart. My emotions are wrecked and overwhelmed after finishing this work. Picoult did extensive research for this novel, and it shows. The twist blind sided me and shook me to my very core. While this book is anything but an escape from reality, the overwhelming message of what really matters in life can resonate with everyone.

Love Jodi Picoult and enjoyed reading this book but became disengaged at times because the book makes the pandemic a central character. . I read to get away from troubles not heighten my anxiety which unfortunately this book did at times.

I couldn’t put this book down! I actually enjoyed reading a book set in the pandemic. The characters were interesting, the setting of the Galapagos was different, and I couldn’t believe the twist!

This book… ***Chefs kiss***

Disclaimer do not read while you are in quarantine from covid yourself. I read this when I was mildly sick with covid and it definitely rose my anxiety quite a bit.
So relatable, and has a beautiful Written POV of how Covid affected the character at the beginning of lock down. I would rather of been stranded in the Galapagos with a hot tour guide than fighting for TP in the USA during the beginning of the pandemic. From the very beginning this story sucks you in. I devoured this so quickly. Plot twists I didn’t see coming… I need a sequel it cannot end like this.

I wasn’t sure I was ready for a book about COVID, but this one wasn’t what I was expecting. I was delighted by the characters and the plot line. It was a bit depressing for awhile, but it picked up. The twist definitely got me, but not in a good way. I didn’t enjoy the twist or the ending.

As always, Jodi Picoult has a winner here. This book kept me gripped right from the beginning and had me all in my feelings the whole way through. Maybe it hit too close to home with the state of the world right now and being in the middle of a pandemic but it was so realistic. We have all experienced this in the last two years and I am sure so many people have had the same revelations as the main character. This is a heartfelt deep dive into what is important to us and the people around us. Highly recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🦠As Covid strikes Manhattan Diana must leave her surgeon boyfriend behind and go on their vacation to the Galapagos alone.

👍🏼Just as I was about to mark it as a DNF, Picoult took it into a direction I never saw coming.

👎🏼The first half of the book is slow and tedious.

✅Even though the book felt slightly slow and repetitive (especially the first half), days later I’m still thinking about it. It is well written, well researched with an interesting twist.

I LOVED this beautifully written and researched story about the early days of Covid. I was so surprised that my jaw dropped. I can't stop talking about this book!

For many, this book and the tough topics it dives into may just be a bit too soon. Covid-19 is a main part of Wish You Were Here and so if that is a trigger you may want to put this book on the to be read shelf until you are ready.

That being said, the journey that Diana begins when she is stranded on the Galapagos island is powerful. Cell service is not the best so it leaves her emotionally distant from her boyfriend, Finn who had to stay behind to work in the hospital. This time leaves her at a loss and eventually she starts making friends but she also starts examining where she is at in life as well as the important relationships in her life. (#No spoilers, so that means the review has to be intentionally vague)

Wish You Were Here was a powerful book that I read twice...and I can't say that I was entirely comfortable with the Covid-19 aspects of the book, but who is really comfortable with the pandemic right now? Having recently had covid and long covid symptoms makes the novel even more relevant and powerful.

Jodi Picoult tackles the hard stuff without shying away, and Diana's character development and growth are powerfully interwoven into a story with some interesting plot twists!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advance review copy of Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult for me to read and enjoy. As always, my opinions are mine and my review is voluntary.

I was really excited to read my first Jodi Picoult book since she’s my mom’s favorite author, but I was a bit disappointed by this one. I really don’t think I was ready to read a book about covid when we are still in the middle of the pandemic. It felt a bit strange and I just don’t think I was ready for it.

My biggest issue with this book was that I could not stand the main character. Her decisions and thinking we’re not rational and it made me so angry. I did enjoy learning about her job, but she mostly annoyed me.

I enjoyed reading about the Galápagos and the scenic imagery, but it wasn’t enough to make me love this book. The twist did get me, though there definitely was a lot of foreshadowing.

I’d definitely be willing to read more books by Picoult, but this one wasn’t really for me.

2 stars

I’m going to be honest here, I can’t even believe that I finished this book. It is truly a testament to how much of a fan I am of Jodi Picoult. The main problem for me with this book is that it is Just. Too. Soon. I just couldn’t with COVID still going on and the lockdown is nowhere near a distant memory.

I enjoyed the first part of the book when Diana was in the Galapagos, and I was kind of into it. I had to skim read all the emails from Finn because I just didn’t want to read about COVID details. However, the second part of the book was just too much for me to handle. I totally get that Picoult writes about controversial topics, I mean, she had me hook, line, and sinker with My Sisters Keeper.

However, it is just too soon, the wounds are still too raw and reading about our ongoing reality just didn’t sit well with me. This, by no means, changes the fact that Picoult is one of my favorite authors and I will continue to read anything and everything she writes.


Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for my copy of this book via NetGalley