If you could go on a vacation alone and have no itinerary, would you? Does it sound blissful? Tropical drinks and breathtaking views of the Galapagos. What if you were on vacation and you found yourself at the start of the lockdown from Covid-19? Now, you find yourself on a beautiful remote island with limited wifi, no way to get off the island, and daily luxuries. Changes your mindset a little.
Diana O'Toole is young and getting ready to have her year, in 2020. Professionally she is on the verge of making a HUGE sale for her employer, Sotheby's as an associate specialist for the auction house. Her infamous mother is suffering from early-onset Alzheimer's and is currently living in an Alzheimer's facility. Hannah O'Toole has no recollection of who her daughter is the day Diana visits her before her big vacation with her physician boyfriend, Finn. Finn is a resident surgeon at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital and is just beginning to see the first signs of this virus they call Covid-19.
This trip to the Galapagos is the start of their year together, Diana suspects that Finn will propose to her on this trip, kneeling on the lava-sand beaches. When Diana begins to carry on about their pending departure, Finn doesn't say anything. It puts Diana on edge, as to why would he not go with her on their trip? Because of a virus that is taking over the city? He only had nineteen cases today and lost one patient. The hospital has made it clear to all of its employees that taking time off right now is intensely discouraged. Finn encourages Diana to take their trip alone, they can't get a refund on the lavish cost of the trip. Someone should enjoy it, right? Plus, Finn is worried about what he will bring home to their shared apartment after working hellish days at the hospital.
Diana arrives on the last ferry boat to Isabel Island, the same trip when people are begging to get the last ride back to the mainland of Santa Crux Island. Her luggage has been lost but was assured it will find her. When she arrives she facetimed Finn to tell him she safely made it, except for her luggage. Finn looks exhausted and informs Diana that all he sees are patients that are suffering from the "virus". Diana finds her hotel and begins to feel isolated from Finn and the world, now that the lockdown has been placed.
I will not give any spoilers about what takes place on the tiny Isabel Island because it is a remarkable story. It was what I found the most interesting and kept me reading long into the night. Diana learning to emerge as an Islander from a visitor. The pandemic was isolating and yet everyone felt that we were experiencing some of the same emotions and physical pain. Jodi Picoult perfectly crafted a timeline of the pandemic and lockdown. From the isolation of the medical professionals to the individuals that were forced to be in lockdown on vacation - not in their hometown, let alone their native country. If you wish to read a beautiful story that pulls you in and surprises you please take a chance. You may be over this virus, as we all are, but how else will future individuals read about our experience as a whole in isolation? To hear the real-life experience that Mrs. Picoult used as inspiration to pull together such a remarkable count of events is exquisite

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for sharing this advanced
e-reader copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

Wish You Were Here was the first book I had read that was actually set during the pandemic. It was surreal in a way, but it also gave me a comforting feeling of solidarity. When I started reading this, I couldn't stop talking about it! had the Galapagos on the brain, I was googling photos to get the right imagery. I was impressed that a difficult subject (self harm) was addressed. It was all good vibes for about half of the book. Then came the twist. know this is perhaps an unpopular opinion, but the twist lost me. I can't spoil the plot in good conscience because overall the book is good! Jodi is, as always, an incredible writer. I wish this book had gone in a different direction, but as a whole it is worth the read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the advanced reader copy. A review and photo of this book has been published on Goodreads and on Instagram under the name @literary.erica

I was skeptical about reading this book because it deals with Covid and the current pandemic. Needless to say it was surprisingly good. What made it work was the story Ms. Picoult developed surrounding Covid. Diana and Finn soon to be engaged, could be any one of us. When faced with a life changing condition it gives one cause to pause and re-evaluate life. One take away was that we go through life following a path in an instant that path can change and a new course chartered. Pay attention when your eyes are opened to new possibilities.

Oh my goodness, I could not put this book down!! This is the first book that I've read that incorporates the pandemic into the storyline, and it was phenomenal. The detail of Picoult's descriptions are so wonderful, you actually feel like you are right on that tropical island with Diana. I'm not even going to mention the twist (oops!) because that completely caught me by surprise. I was just telling someone about it today (who does not read fiction) and he thought it was a great way to catch the reader off guard. Five stars from this avid reader, and I highly recommend this for book clubs!

I have almost all of Jodi Piccoult's books and I was excited to see how she would approach the topic of Covid-19. I eagerly jumped into this reading experience and enjoyed the first half of the book. Unfortunately, the major twist in the story caused me to feel extremely angry. It completely negated that entire first part of the book, making me feel like I wasted my time. I would have quit reading the book right then and there, but I felt that, being already that far in, I might as well complete the book. For me, the main character learning from her dream-like experience to change her life for the better did not make up for hours I wasted at the beginning of the book. The only reason I gave it 3 stars was because the first half was a positive experience leading up to the twist.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pretty good read from Piccoult. I thought the characters were well developed and the story flowed well. There was at least one big twist. A couple of things tied up too nicely to be realistic. And I think we’re still too entrenched in COVID that I felt myself disagreeing with some of the sentiments or thinking of things that she neglected to mention.

“Wish You Were Here” ultimately ended up being a very good book that was interesting, thought provoking and maybe a little too timely. However, I found the first half of the book to be quite difficult to get through. I’m not sure if it was the plot itself or the fact that the first half was essentially reliving the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic (albeit in the Galapagos rather than the studio apartment I lived in at the time).

Although the first half was a struggle to get through, I’m glad I stuck it out for the unexpected twist a little over halfway through. Jodi Picoult does a great job of turning the plot on it’s head, and the story becomes something I did not expect. I can’t say much more without giving anything away, but ultimately this is a story about life, loss, expectations and finding yourself when you least expect it.

This was an extremely well researched book, and I really enjoyed how Picoult tied her research into her writing and the character experiences. While I found that this book to hit maybe too soon given that we’re still in the middle of the pandemic, I also found that it spoke to the universal experiences we’ve faced over the last two years.

Such an amazing book by a wonderful, talented and gifted author! I loved this one just as I did all the others! Can’t wait for the next book! Absolutely great!

I enjoyed this book, especially as it's very relatable living through the pandemic. And it's kind of weird because I have COVID right now, though not to the degree of Diana at all. I enjoyed her story line and her fiances as well as the twist. I thought the character development was done well and the story was written well, the thing is though it didn't feel like a Jodi Picoult book. Maybe she's just changing her style or maybe it was just for this book but it just felt different. Nevertheless I did enjoy the book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

As much as I love Jodi Picoult's books, I was unsure if I wanted to read a book that dealt with COVID-19 while we are still dealing with COVID-19. I'm so glad that I put my reservations to the side and decided to read this. I enjoyed this book very, very much. Yes, there are parts that were difficult to read, but overall it's a very interesting take on the pandemic.

Jodi Picoult is one of my “automatic-read” authors; so, I didn’t even read what this was about before requesting it on NetGalley or even before starting to read. I have been battling Covid while reading it, so it is especially timely for me and made me count my blessings that my case wasn’t worse. There is a twist in the story that I was not happy about at first; but, then I came to appreciate it as I kept reading. It is a fascinating topic (I can’t say more than that without giving it away) and I encourage everyone to read this, especially if you are a fan. I always enjoy reading the author’s notes at the end of these kinds of books and this one is no different—they give a lot of insight into what the author was thinking while writing and often on how they came up with the idea for the novel.
Trigger Warnings could include: Covid, death, mental health struggles

This was at times tough to read as we are still in the middle of the pandemic. I love how Jodi does extensive research for all her books. She doesn’t just write to write. She writes with a bigger picture in mind no matter what subject she is writing on. The twist in this one got me. I would love to see a sequel.

Jodi Picoult is a master story teller. Love her writing style. Great storyline and characters. That being said, I personally get peeved when books get into politics and even worse when they take gratuitous swipes at US Presidents. So unnecessary. That really overshadows how much I enjoyed the biggest part of the book.

Wish You Were Here: Wish I’d Liked This Book More

Everything is going great for Diana. Cool job at Sotheby’s? Check! Awesome apartment in NYC? Check! Boyfriend (who we’ll call McDreamy, because I can’t remember the character’s name) is a resident, on his way to becoming a full-fledged doctor? You guessed it. Check, check and check. In fact, McDreamy and Diana are about to vacation in the Galapagos, where she suspects a certain someone will soon receive a proposal and an engagement ring – that has to be what the robin egg blue Tiffany’s box in his bureau is all about, right?

But then WHAM! Covid hits, McDreamy gets stuck pulling OT shifts at the hospital, and Diana makes the bizarre decision to head to the Galapagos instead. There, she meets some characters… or should I say, caricatures? The abuelita character, so kind, warm, and helpful – and so stereotypical. The troubled teenage girl, complete with depictions of the probleme de moment (cutting) that is all-too-common, at least, in novels published in the last several years. And then the love interest, whose name I can’t remember. He’s essentially described as a hunky Hispanic guy. There’s very little to indicate that he has an actual personality. But for some reason, Diana is all about him. And in spite of the characters and the pacing, plodding along like one of the beloved elderly tortoises in the Galapagos, I liked it ok….UNTIL.....!

WHAM!! The craziest bat$hit craziest plot twist to end all plot twists, which occurs about halfway through. I wish I could talk about it, but it’s a spoiler. And if you decide to read this, I don’t want to spoil that small charm for you. But I really disliked the second half of the book, and I can't even explain why without spoiling it. It simply did not work for me.

Also, not sure this is exactly a trigger warning, but more like a full triple ZZZ warning: please note that there are very exhaustively looooong explicit descriptions of treatments given to COVID patients, that Diana’s super-busy boyfriend supposedly takes time to write to his girlfriend while she’s in the Galapagos. These are not essential to the plot, but if you’re sensitive to medical descriptions, they might bother you. Let’s just say, I would not recommend this book to anyone who had lost someone due to COVID. However, if you do read this book after reading my review/warning, it’s fine to skim any medical sections. They do not advance the plot, but they did contribute to the page and word count, and they established that this author really spent some time researching COVID. Good for her.

While I wish I had liked this book more, I must also say a sincere thank you to #NetGalley #BallantineBooks and the author for the digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.

this book was so powerful and in this time, i wish everyone would read it. since it deals with COVID and the pandemic, it will either be extremely triggering or cathartic for readers since we're still so deep into this world without a clear path to recovery. however, for me i found it to be so cathartic. Picoult is such an amazing writer and truly was able to articulate SO many of my feelings and thoughts about the last 2 years and the situation we have been in. it made me feel so many emotions, and there is one twist in here that truly left my mouth WIDE open!

cannot wait to see this come to live in film/series. thank you so much to netgalley and the team at Ballantine for gifting this to me. i will remember it forever and already want to re-read!

Narrator performance: 5 stars
Overall rating: 3.5 stars

Wish You Were Here is my third pandemic focused read, you'd think it'd be preferred to shy away from these but in fact, I'm finding these oddly refreshing. Hearing pandemic experiences that are starkly different from my own is enlightening.

Diana is an art dealer just about to head to the Galapagos with her doctor boyfriend in March 2020 when the pandemic shifts into its first wave. Her boyfriend must stay in NYC but she decides to go, only to find the island closed to tourists. She decides to stay anyway and the story follows her interactions with the locals and discovery of her true self as she is isolated from the pandemic and regular communications home. Here and there she will find wifi and get an email from her boyfriend pouring out the miseries of the pandemic from the heart of it. The dichotomy of it is interesting to observe.

I wished for a little more majesty of the Galapagos, there are scenes of it but most of Diana's focus is on the people. That may just be my personal preference as an introvert biologist though... I enjoyed Diana's experience and how her revelations were similar to many people in the pandemic where they realize the day to day choices they've made prior don't really hold up to what's really in their heart. 

Truly this is like two books, mid-stream the story takes a turn and I was so surprised by that I almost didn't keep going with it. Picoult is good at that gut punch, isn't she? I'm glad I stuck with it although I preferred the first half of the book to the second, I also didn’t think it needed the epilogue and my overall rating reflects those two things.

Also I've decided Marin Ireland is my favorite audiobook narrator. I read this book half on my kindle with the early copy I got from Netgalley and half on Libro.fm with an ALC. I rarely prefer the audiobook to actually reading but as it was with Cloud Cuckoo Land, Marin's voice added so much to the story. I am definitely going to be looking out for her in more reads. All opinions above are my own.

This was a beautiful story. It was tough to read in the moment, because we are still experiencing the effects of the pandemic. However, it was real and raw, which it what Picoult is best at. It is heavy, but so good. Definitely recommend.

Wow! This was nothing that I expected. I am not even sure how to talk about this book without spoilers. While I still have a hard time reading about Covid, since we still seem to be in the middle of it, the way Jodi Picoult came to the story and how it was laid out was amazing. I read this in less than 24 hours. Fabulous book.

Jodi Picoult was my first true auto buy author, and I continue to look forward to her new work. While this one was not among my favorite of hers, it was another great example of her ability to write beautiful, smoothly readable stories about truly thought-provoking situations. Clearly the subject matter of the early pandemic is heavy stuff, but I also loved the inclusion of human consciousness, human brain studies as it relates to the story and the discussion of how the pandemic forced so many to really evaluate their current situations. And - as I’ve come to love and expect - I never anticipated where the story was heading.

With regards to the Covid-heavy subject matter, I can absolutely understand that for many, the topic is just too soon. It was interesting to see the early stages of the pandemic play out across the pages. Even just 2 years later, so many of those details had already left my mind. I appreciated the use of letters to provide that background – as opposed to just including it in the narrative – though I do feel like Finn’s letters really read as someone recounting those days at a later time. For me it felt as though the despair came too quickly, the ability to reflect on the larger scale seemed too fast. Not necessarily a criticism, how can any of us ever return to those people we were “before” all of this, or really remember our thought processes from that time given all that we know now.

While I enjoyed the story overall, I never really connected to the characters nor cared too much about their outcomes. The final third felt a bit rushed compared to the first 2, and I honestly could have read an entire book about Kitomi Ito. Similarly, when Diana went researching, I would have loved to see the discussions surrounding that expanded on as well. This would definitely be a great book club read as there are so many interesting themes presented throughout that would certainly spark some spirited discussions.

Review of Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Diana has her life mapped out in front of her and other than one small adjustment, it’s remained on course …. Until it wasn’t anymore. She and Finn were meant to go on vacation to the Galápagos and he was supposed to propose. She was supposed to engineer the auctioning of a piece of art which would show her boss just what she could do and she was supposed to get promoted. What wasn’t supposed to happen was a global pandemic that paused everything and nothing at the same time. Finn insists that Diana go on the trip to the Galápagos without her - it will keep her safe and he’ll be working ‘round the clock anyways - so she goes. Only to get there and find out that the island has shut down. Diana finds herself stranded on an island with nothing and no one familiar and doesn’t even speak the language. She manages to befriend some locals and during her unexpected extended stay, learns more about herself than ever before. And when she returns to the New York, she and Finn find that each of their traumatic experiences have impacted them in ways they never could have expected.

Wish You Were Here is a timely story with Covid being front and center - just as it has been for the last year and a half. But it’s also a story of relationships, personal growth, and resilience. I am always captivated by the level of research that goes into Picoult’s books and this one had my attention so quickly. It’s one book that should resonate with a global audience and readers can easily find connections to. It’s not just about a lockdown - it’s about the courageous frontline workers and the horrors they witnessed; the separation and loneliness between families. Most importantly, it’s a story of hope. Readers won’t expect the twist that seems to come out of no where but like me, I think they will appreciate it. I will say that before picking this book up, if you’re not ready to read vivid descriptions of the experiences of those in the epicenter of Covid, then you may want to pause on this book as it can only be described as heavy - though hopefully with time it won’t feel so heavy.

Thank you @RandomHouse [#partner] for gifting me with an early readers copy in exchange for an independent and honest review!

⚠️ Trigger Warning: Covid-19; Self Harm